The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast

This week, James and Chris discuss Microsoft's changes to Xbox Game Pass, including price increases for all existing tiers and the introduction of a new Standard tier that does not include day one releases. The episode explores the platform holder's strategy when it comes to its subscription service, and its new 'You don't need an Xbox to play Xbox' ad campaign.

We also talk about the vibe of Develop Brighton 2024, and Nintendo's unusual teaser campaign for a new horror game.

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring as they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube.

This week, James reports back from the first ever Gamescom Latam and gives a little insight into the growth of both the Brazillian games market and Gamescom as a global show.

We also discuss Don't Nod's decision to delay new IP Lost Records: Bloom & Rage to avoid clashing with its previous IP Life Is Strange, which returns this October. The history of the industry is filled with examples of rival titles going head-to-head to the benefit of no one (and we list quite a few), so we discuss the need for smarter release scheduling going forward.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz, and you can get all the biggest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to the GI Daily at www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters.

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Haiyan Zhang, general manager of Gaming AI at Xbox, and Brady Woods, product leader at Xbox Game Creator Services, will discuss how the latest technology can help game developers build their games better and more efficiently

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Schell Games boss Jesse Schell on the advantages of keeping a lean team, how to know the right team size for each project and the art of scaling up and down as development progresses

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As part of our GI Sprint series of podcasts, Team Sync's Graham McAllister tells us why the concept stage is the most important one to get right for team efficiency.

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AI experts Tommy Thompson, Sean Cooper, Aleena Chia, Lauren Maslen and Lucie Migne opens our AI talks by discussing the broad opportunities and challenges of the technology

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube.

This week, we discuss the line-up shown at the latest Nintendo Direct, with new Mario, Zelda and Metroid titles on display, and ponder what this says about the Switch's final year before its successor arrives. We also look at the untapped potential for the Metroid franchise.

From there, we weigh up the showcases from each of the platform holders and the implications for those businesses as well as the wider market. And, inevitably, the conversation turns to ongoing turbulence felt across the industry, and when we might start to see signs of recovery in the wake of various layoffs and studio closures.

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Continuing our GI Sprint editorial special - a series of guides on how to make games cheaper, faster and better - this panel looks at the art and importance of failing fast. Prototyping and iterating is a crucial stage of any game's development, but if something isn't quite clicking how much time and effort do you put in before moving on to your next idea? Indie dev Rami Ismail, FreeLives managing director Dominique Gawlowski and Ant Workshop managing director Tony Gowland discuss

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GI Sprint is our new editorial series all around making video games cheaper, faster and better. To kick things off, games veteran Shawn Layden speaks with GamesIndustry.biz about the spiralling costs of AAA game development, and why it needs entirely rethinking

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news. 

This week, Chris is in Los Angeles to give us a sense of what's happening on the ground among all the showcases of the past week. He joins James to discuss some of the biggest reveals from Xbox and Summer Game Fest, as well as the variety of games on display across all the digital events.

We also talk about how the physical side of these events are growing and how they might evolve in future, and why PlayStation's Lego Horizon Adventues is coming to Nintendo Switch.

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news. 

This week, we discuss the annual array of showcases that are filling the void left by E3, starting with last week's State of Play from PlayStation. We discuss the highlights of Sony's presentation, as well as our expectations for the showcases ahead, including Summer Game Fest and Xbox.

On the subject of Xbox, we also discuss the confirmation that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be available via Game Pass at launch and why this might be the ultimate litmus test for video game subscriptions.

Finally, we discuss the growing trend of screen adaptations for video game properties, with announcements for Amazon Prime Video's Like A Dragon series, Netflix's animated Minecraft show, and two adaptations of John Romero's autobiography Doom Guy.

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news. 

This week, we discuss (to the extent that we can, given how early into the transition period we are) our change of ownership with IGN parent Ziff Davis acquiring Gamer Network Ltd and its brands, which includes GamesIndustry.biz and our sister sites Eurogamer, VG247, Rock Paper Shotgun and more.

We also talk about the new leadership at Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Games as well as the studio's ambitions for the future, which you can read more about in Chris' interview on the site.

Finally, we reflect on the impact of the other acquisitions announced last week; namely, Nintendo taking Shiver Entertainment off Embracer Group's hands, and Atari ending the first console war by snapping up the Intellivision brand.

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news. 

This week, we discuss the news from Sony regarding retired CEO Jim Ryan's replacement. Or rather, replacements. Plural. We reflect on the benefits of having long-serving execs like Herman Hulst and Hideaki Nishino in charge of PlayStation, as well as the challenges they face.

We also discuss the Stop Killing Games campaign, the UK government's response to it, and the wider shift we see in both the games industry and entertainment in general that is reflected by the rise of such a campaign.

► Newsletter sign-up - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news. 

This week, we take a quick dive in Xbox's closure of four Bethesda-owned studios, as well as what this means for Microsoft's wider gaming strategy, the future of the smaller studios it still owns, and its reputation with the rest of the industry and gamers.

We also discuss Nintendo's first official word on Switch 2 - or, as it should be called, New Nintendo Switch U XL - as well as the platform holder's financials, and why the market really needs a new console before Christmas 2025.

► Newsletter sign-up - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news.

This week, we discuss the reported troubles at Take-Two with claims that indie-focused label Private Division, Rollerdrome developer Roll7 and Kerbal Space Program 2 studio Intercept Games were all affected (and, in some cases, closed) by the planned 580 layoffs.

We also reflect on Microsoft's most recent financials, the decline in Xbox hardware sales, and why there is so much more to talk about with the platform holder than how many boxes it has sold. And Chris got caught up in the 'frames per second' debate, which gives us a good excuse to remind you of upcoming editorial event GI Sprint.

► Newsletter sign-up - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news.

This week, Chris and James are joined by Neil Long, founder and editor of MobileGamer.biz to discuss Embracer's announcement that it will be splitting into three companies. We reflect on the ramifications of this separation, as well as what led to this point, and draw on some of the key takeaways from our interview with CEO Lars Wingefors.

We also talk about the potential implications of the US' proposed ban on TikTok, and Long tells us why Supercell's Squad Busters - the Clash of Clans firm's first global launch in five years - could well be the 'GTA 6 of the mobile world.'

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all Podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news.

This week, James and Chris are joined by Skillfull founder Gina Jackson to discuss her recent report on the skills crisis in the UK games industry (and the wider industry), as well as the systemic issues that need to be addressed in order to fix it.

The episode also discusses Rare's new solar-powered Barn X and how the success of the Fallout TV show is boosting the games' sales.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz, and you can get all the biggest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to the GI Daily at www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters.

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all Podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news. 

This week, Chris and James discuss this year's BAFTA Games Awards, the array of winners, and the vibe among industry professionals - both at the ceremony and the London Developer Conference that was held earlier in the day.

The episode also explores some of the key takeaways from the conference, such as Newzoo's revelation of how few play hours everyone is competing for, as well as the latest discussions around the ongoing waves of layoffs, including the IGDA's call for more action to prevent or minimise them.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news.

This week, we discuss the ongoing conversations around Xbox - from Chris' recent revelation that developers are finding it hard to justify supporting the platform, to Xbox boss Phil Spencer's suggestion that the console could open up to third-party stores.

We also discuss last week's big studio sales, including Embracer's $460m sale of Gearbox to Take-Two and Relic's breakaway from Sega to become an independent developer.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz, and you can get all the biggest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to the GI Daily at www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters.

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The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast dives into the biggest stories across the business of video games from the past week.

This week, Chris Dring returns from San Francisco to bring us a better sense of the mood at GDC and how it reflects what's happening in the industry, as well as some of the more interesting things he learned around the conference.

Subjects that get discussed include the leaked PS5 Pro specs and what impact (if any) a mid-gen refresh might have for the console, why publishers and developers may be deprioritising Xbox, and the potential for AI initiatives such as Ubisoft's Neo NPCs.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Remember to sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox

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The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast takes a quick dive into the biggest stories from the business of video games over the past week.

This week, editor-in-chief James Batchelor is joined by staff writer Jeffrey Rousseau, who makes his Microcast debut while regular co-host Chris Dring is attending GDC 2024.

The discussion begins with a look at Embracer Group's $247m sale of Saber Interactive and various studios, as well as which operating groups and subsidiaries the troubled publisher might divest next.

We also reflect on the stumbles made by PlayStation VR 2 as reports suggest production has been paused to clear a surplus of unsold units, and dive into some of the key takeaways from Unity's 2024 gaming report.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz, and be sure to sign up to the GI Daily newsletter to get the biggest news delivered straight to your inbox.

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The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast is a weekly podcast with Chris Dring and James Batchelor offering a quick dive into the biggest stories from across the business of video games.

This week, we discuss Apple's short-lived ban on Epic Games' developer account, which would have prevented both the return of Fortnite to iOS and the launch of Epic's app store. Far from being another chapter in the ongoing Epic vs Apple saga, this is part of the iOS firm's ongoing efforts to resist the European Union and its new regulations, such as the Digital Markets Act.

We also discuss the $2.4 million settlement between Nintendo and the makers of Switch emulator Yuzu, and Warner Bros' comments about the volatility of the console space and how live service games more than "one-and-done" titles like Hogwarts Legacy may be the answer.

You can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast offers a quick look at the biggest stories from the business of video games every Monday.

This week, Chris Dring and James Batchelor are joined by Remedy communications director Thomas Puha, who talks to us about the studio reclaiming the publishing rights of Control, the success of Alan Wake 2, and the challenges of AAA development in general.

We also discuss the mass layoffs at Electronic Arts and Sony, plus how those two companies are adapting their strategies to the current climate, and reports that Rockstar is mandating that employees return to the office five days a week.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all Podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news.

This week, we discuss the slew of game announcements that emerged from and around the Nintendo Partner Direct, the potential for surprise hits in 2024, and the industry's data deficiencies that make it difficult to judge which games truly are the most successful.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Chris Dring and James Batchelor take a look at the biggest stories from the business of video games in the last week.

We start by discussing Xbox's announcement of four first-party titles coming to other platforms, as well as Microsoft's wider games strategy, before delving into PlayStation's latest financials, the challenges it faces and the revelation that there will be no major launches from existing franchises until April 2025 at the earliest.

We finish off with the recent reports that Switch 2 may not launch until 2025, and the impact this may have on the wider market.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James Batchelor and Chris Dring discuss the biggest news from the past week.

The main topic this week is the recent rumours that Microsoft may bring key first-party exclusives such as Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to other platforms, including PlayStation 5. We talk about Microsoft's history of exploring 'rival' platforms, and why it does and doesn't make sense for these titles to be ported.

We also discuss the recent report that the majority of developers are working on live service games, as well as attitudes towards this business model, and our highlights from PlayStation's State of Play showcase.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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GamesIndustry.biz's James Batchelor and Chris Dring discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

First, we discuss the Eidos Montreal layoffs and the cancellation of a new Deus Ex title, as well as the implications for the future of this franchise - and many of the other franchises, such as fan favourite (and Chris favourite) TimeSplitters, whose future depends on the outcome of the Embracer Group restructure.

Next, we delve into the changes proposed by Apple to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets App; seemingly opening iOS to third-party app stores, but also introducing new commission fees and complicating the process for mobile developers and publishers who seek to use alternatives to Apple's own systems.

Finally, there are the 1,900 layoffs announced across Microsoft's gaming businesses and the potential impact these may have on the various video game sectors in which the company operates.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Chris Dring and James Batchelor discuss some of the biggest stories about the business of video games from the past week.

This week's Microcast kicks off with Chris' report on the industry bracing itself for further difficult times, with investors, publishers and developers expecting up to two years of closures, changes to the release schedule and investment opportunities, and more.

We also discuss the reaction to our interview with Ubisoft's Philippe Tremblay and the notion that subscriptions will only take off when players become accustomed to not owning their games, the end of UK retailer GAME's pre-owned business, and the highlights of the Xbox Developer Direct.

As always you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James Batchelor and Chris Dring once again discuss some of the biggest stories from the past week, including the divisive agreement between union SAG-AFTRA and AI voice tech firm Replica Studios to use AI voice acting in video games.

The discussion inevitably extends to the broader implications of AI, including Steam's revised policies that will allow "the vast majority of games using it" to launch on the leading PC marketplace. 

We also discuss comments from our recent interview with Nacon head of publishing Benoit Clerc as to whether there are too many games on the market.

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Chris Dring and James Batchelor return with our weekly dive into the biggest news stories from the business of video games.

2024 has barely started and the ongoing trend of layoffs across the games industry continues. We discuss some of the wider factors that are driving this, and what else we can expect in the year ahead.

We also discuss recent stories about the use of generative AI in promotional art, including an ID@Xbox image that was published before the holidays, and the recent report of a former Activision exec suing the Call of Duty publisher for discrimination against "old white guys."

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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For our final podcast of the year, The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics to discuss their favourite games of the past twelve months.

You may well have read our extended thoughts in our Games of the Year articles, and this conversation wraps things up, as well as gives some nods to our honourable mentions.

From the relaxing trials of Pikmin 4 to the freeform adventures of Baldur's Gate 3, from the political commentary and fast-paced gameplay of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk to the creepy and compelling narrative of Alan Wake 2, listen in as we discuss the best games of 2023.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics to reflect on the past year, as well as the biggest stories and trends we've covered.

The discussion inevitably begins with the waves of layoffs we've seen throughout 2023, and what they say about both the state of the industry and what we can expect in 2024.

We also discuss the debate around using AI in games development, the quality of games released this year, and the implications of the Epic vs Google trial (note: this was recorded before this week's verdict).

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Chris Dring and James Batchelor discuss the biggest stories of the past week, on (potentially) our final Microcast of 2023.

Today's discussion begins with the reveal of Grand Theft Auto 6, from the changes at Rockstar since GTA 5 to the sales expectations and potential impact the game will have on 2024 and 2025, plus our own thoughts on this first look at the game.

We also discuss this year's The Game Awards, including the range of winners, the discourse around developers' winners speeches, and the many balancing acts involved when organising an event like this.

Finally, we discuss Lego Fortnite, and how it fits into both Epic's plans to transform its multiplayer titles into a platform and Lego's ongoing efforts to work closer with the games industry.

All this in just 25(ish) minutes.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Chris Dring and James Batchelor discuss the biggest stories of the past week, starting with the mixed messages over whether Xbox Game Pass is heading to Nintendo and PlayStation consoles.

While Xbox CFO Tim Stuart said last week that this is part of the company's long-term strategy (echoing comments from Xbox boss Phil Spencer five years ago), Spencer has since said this is not on the cards. Which is unsurprising given the number of obstacles such a move would need to overcome (as Rob Fahey discussed in his latest column).

The episode also discusses the ongoing trend of companies focusing on their core strengths in the face of economic uncertainty, as explored in the latest edition of This Week In Business.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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On our latest Microcast, James Batchelor and Chris Dring discuss the fallout of Embracer Group's ongoing restructure, as revealed by its recent financial results that confirmed over 900 people were laid off in the space of three months.

We discuss the strategy that led directly to Embracer's struggles, as well as whether these issues are a sign of further turbulent times to come for the wider industry.

The conversation also covers the value of video games, a discussion prompted by recent comments by Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, and Chris gives us his first impressions of the PlayStation Portal.

As always, you can be more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast returns, bringing you a digestible dose of the biggest news and analysis from the business of video games.

On this episode, James Batchelor and Christopher Dring discuss the upcoming reveal of Grand Theft Auto 6, and how the development team behind it has changed since the launch of the record-breaking Grand Theft Auto 5 back in 2013.

We also discuss the reports regarding the allegedly strained development of Modern Warfare 3 (reports that Sledgehammer Games has since denied), and the position the Call of Duty brand finds itself in as it receives the lowest review scores in the series' history.

You can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James Batchelor and Chris Dring dive into the implications of this week's Xbox leak - and debate whether the industry truly learned anything of value.

Among the revelations discussed are Microsoft targeting 2028 for its next Xbox console, full details of two mid-generation refreshes for Xbox Series X and S that are expected to launch next year, a hybrid cloud gaming platform due to launch by 2028, Bethesda's future line-up of games, and Spencer's ambition to acquire Nintendo.

We also ponder the impact of leaks in general, and whether the industry can change how it communicates about its products in order to negate any damage done by early reveals.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James Batchelor and Brendan Sinclair dive into the backlash around Unity's proposed Runtime Fee.

As the industry waits for the engine provider's revised plan to charge developers for every install of their game (past certain thresholds), we look at how Unity could have handled both the announcement and the need for more revenue in a different way.

We also discuss the impact on developers and their trust in the tech firm, as well as the games industry's concerning reliance on two engine providers.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics and discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

We start with a recap of Gamescom Opening Night Live before looking forward to the high-profile hits due for release in the run-up to Christmas - particularly the crowded October slate. Which titles do we expect to do well? Which ones face stiffer competition, and how will this affect their chances? And which titles are we particularly looking forward to?

There's also more thoughts on the new Microsoft-Activision deal as the pair prepare to address regulator concerns about cloud gaming dominance by selling the latter's streaming rights to Ubisoft.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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On today's GI Microcast, Chris Dring and James Batchelor discuss the latest developments in the ongoing saga that is Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

This morning it was announced the CMA has fully blocked the original deal, but a modified deal is now undergoing a phase one investigation with the aim to have a final decision on the transaction by October 18. The biggest change is that this deal excludes cloud gaming rights, which have been divested to Assassin's Creed publisher Ubiosft.

We discuss whether this major alteration is enough to address the CMA's cloud gaming concerns, whether the end of the deal is finally in site, and what prospects there are for further acquisitions in the market given the current economic climate.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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In the final episode of this series of the Playable Futures Podcast, Will Freeman chats to Mitu Khandaker, CEO and Co-Founder of mobile studio Glow Up Games, about the impact of AI on games and what they mean for the future of play.

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva.

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In today's Microcast, we discuss two of the biggest stories of the week.

First, we debate Microsoft's newly announced Xbox enforcement system, which will issue 'strikes' to players for violations of its code of conduct ranging from cheating and profanity to harassment and hate speech. Eight strikes earns a one-year suspension, but is the system too lenient? And how effective do we think it will be at addressing the issue of toxicity in multiplayer games?

Then we ponder the future of Call of Duty, with today's reveal of Modern Warfare 3 marking a shift away from Activision's tradition of rotating between sub-brands. Given the struggles of Vanguard and the abandonment of previous series, is Call of Duty becoming too reliant on the Modern Warfare name?

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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After eleven and a half years at UKIE, Jo’s imminent move to the music industry, where she will be serving as CEO of the British Phonographic Industry, felt like an appropriate opportunity to pause and reflect on her tenure and the importance of play. Speaking with us at Develop in Brighton, she explained that play has always encompassed more than just games.

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva.

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James Batchelor and Christopher Dring discuss a busy week in the ongoing saga that is Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Following the denial of the FTC's preliminary injunction, the denial of its request for an extension to the temporary restraining order, and the denial of its appeal, there is seemingly nothing to stop Microsoft completing the deal in the US before its deadline tomorrow. And with a ten-year deal signed with Sony to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, the barriers do seem to be lowering.

We discuss all of the above, plus the CMA's decision to consider proposals of a modified deal and how Nintendo might secretly be one of the biggest winners from the past week's events.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The latest episode of Playable Futures features a conversation with Deborah Mensah-Bonsu, who is the founder of dmb crew. Her flagship initiative is Games for Good, which focuses on helping studios and the wider industry harness games for social impact. Will and Deborah discuss the opportunity presented by the proliferation of games on mobile to unlock societal and behavioural change for good.

“People are starting to understand that what it means to be a gamer is not what it was ten years ago,” Deborah says, adding later - “There is a potential for mobile to engage with people who didn’t consider themselves gamers. Mobile is leading on that.”

Whilst the discussion touches the familiar themes of mobile gaming such as monetisation - with Deborah saying that “it’s not wrong to spend money on something that you think is bringing you value,” - and discoverability, the podcast equally focuses on the potential of the medium to effect change, with Deborah being optimistic about mobile as a platform for innovation and connection, with games offering tremendous potential to take us beyond the horizon of our ambition.

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva.

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The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast is back. In today's episode, James Batchelor and Chris Dring reflect on the revelations so far from the court hearing between the Federal Trade Commission and Microsoft over the latter's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

As you can tell from our ongoing roundup, it's hard to gauge whether any progress is actually being made here but there are certainly some interesting tidbits coming out from the various parties involved that make for great headlines.

We discuss the moments and quotes that stood out the most to us, as well as the general context around this legal clash and what (if anything) might happen next.

You can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to reflect on this year's cavalcade of video game showcases.

We've already shared our favourite indie titles from the likes of Summer Game Fest, Xbox Games Showcase, Day of the Devs, Wholesome Direct and more, while Chris Dring reviewed his experience of the first physical Summer Game Fest event.

Now we discuss the overall line-up of the week-and-a-bit, our personal highlights, areas we'd like to see improvement, and how we think this collection of events might evolve if the central pillar of E3 does not return.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Shawne Benson, Global Head of Third Party Portfolio & Acquisitions at Sony Interactive Entertainment and Laila Shabirm, Founder & CEO of Girls Make Games speak to Will Freeman for the latest instalment of our Playable Futures Series.

Our eighth outing sees us tackling what continues to be a prominent talking point within the industry - women in games. For a sector often associated with toxic stereotypes around gender, this enlightening chat looks at the ways in which the industry has changed to encompass more diverse voices and the future benefits of doing so.

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James and Brendan discuss two of the biggest stories of the day in our latest GamesIndustry.biz Microcast.

We start by wrapping up our coverage of the major summer games showcases, discussing the line-up at yesterday's Ubisoft Forward. The conversation touches on everything from the narrative dilemmas of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora to the more-than-a-little awkward introduction of Netflix animated series Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix.

Then we turn our attention to this morning's announcement that Embracer Group is embarking on a restructuring program that will result in the closure of studios, cancellation of games, and an unknown number of layoffs. We discuss the events that may have led up to this, and what happens next.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Continuing our breakdown of the biggest summer games showcases, James and Marie reflect on the line-up Microsoft showed off at last night's Xbox Games Showcase.

Headlined by the likes of Fable and Star Wars: Outlaws, with a good old fashioned hardware reveal and a lot more information on the upcoming Starfield, the showcase gave a great insight into what Microsoft's first-party studios are working on as it continues to beef up its offering.

We discuss our highlights of the show, but be sure to read our handy roundup to check there's nothing you have missed.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz microcast returns as we discuss the biggest announcements from this year's Summer Game Fest: Kickoff Live.

James and Marie share their thoughts on the most promising games, as well as the tone and quality of the overall line-up. And, inevitably, the conversation shifts towards the usual 'do we need E3/Not-E3?' discourse.

If you missed this year's Summer Game Fest, be sure to catch up on all the news with our handy roundup.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics to discuss the biggest stories in the business of video games.

This week, we dive deeper into the potential for cloud gaming - a technology the UK competition regulator believes will become so big that it's using this as ground to block the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Following our recent conversation with analysts on the true impact cloud streaming might have on the industry, we share our own thoughts on the many, many barriers games companies will need to overcome before streaming becomes as dominant as it has in music, film and TV.

We also look ahead to the string of showcases happening this month in the void where E3 once was, which kicks off on Thursday with Summer Games Fest. What do we expect to see from this year's events?

(And don't worry, we're still experimenting with our new Microcast format and will likely have more for you after the showcases this month)

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Chris and James offer a bite-sized breakdown of yesterday's PlayStation Showcase, from the new hardware revealed to the glimpses at Sony's future first-party line-up.

As well as rounding up some of the highlights, the discussion dives a little deeper into the potential audience and use cases for the Project Q handheld streaming device, Remedy's decision to release Alan Wake 2 as a digital-only title, and Sony's latest steps into the live service arena.

You can get more news, analysis and insight at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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GamesIndustry.biz's Chris Dring and James Batchelor deliver another short, sharp analysis of the biggest stories happening across the business of video games.

Today's microcast covers:

• Take-Two's latest financial results
• Ubisoft's latest financial results
• Strauss Zelnick: Key companies took E3 for granted
• Next week's PlayStation Showcase

As always, any feedback on this new show format would be appreciated. Please email [email protected].

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Welcome to the new GamesIndustry.biz Microcast.

In addition to our full-length, in-depth discussions of key topics from across the industry, we are also experimenting with a new short-form format in which we analyse the biggest stories as they break.

Today's episode covers the European Commission's approval of Microsoft's proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition, the record-breaking UK launch sales of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Amazon's announcement of a new Lord of the Rings MMO.

We're keen to hear your feedback on this new episode format, so please email [email protected] with your thoughts.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest stories from the business of video games.

This week, we discuss the recent cancellation of E3 2023, the myriad factors behind it, and what comes next for the long-running trade show. With the industry's needs changing over the years, and the rise of new ways to reach your audience, the very purpose of E3 has been the ongoing subject of debate - so how can the event evolve in the future?

For further context around this discussion, be sure to read our interview with ESA president Stanley Pierre-Louis and Chris Dring's opinion piece on why the industry simply didn't want this year's vision for E3.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Episode seven of the Playable Futures podcast turns its attention to the future of game consumption, and the shift in the dynamic between user, creator and platform. The result was a wide-ranging, insightful conversation between two brilliant guests – Stephanie King, Chief Administrative and Legal Officer and Playco, and Karol Severin, Senior analyst, VP of data, and Co-Founder at MIDiA Research. Both brought robust analysis and fascinating data – and a lot of vibrancy and infectious 

Through their conversation, what becomes clear is that today's gamers are bombarded with more choices than ever – and yet we all only have 24 hours in one day. The attention economy is a place of more movement than ever before. Publishers and developers will increasingly need to have agile tactics in order to take their games to players, rather than work to bring users to platforms.

Their episode’s conversation also covers themes that are commonly preoccupying the sector at the moment – saturation and discoverability, for example – but with a realistic and enthusiastic outlook on how things will develop in the future. King and Severin discuss games as collected shared experiences; games as identifiers for tribes; and escape versus connection. 

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

On this episode, we begin with the report that 2023's Call of Duty release will be a follow-up to 2022's Modern Warfare 2 that originally began an expansion. It will plug the previously reported gap that could have seen this year become the first since 2005 not to see a new entry in the series, with Treyarch's next game pushed to 2024.

We ponder Call of Duty's reliance on an annual release, Activision Blizzard's reliance on Call of Duty, the wider impact the series has on the global market, and the challenges Activision faces in rolling out a not-quite-full-scale Call of Duty in 2023.

In the second half, we turn to Larian Studios' recent revelation that it's unable to release Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox until it can get certain features running on the low-end Series S model, which is a requirement from Microsoft. The discussion goes from potential solutions to supporting the less powerful console to the possibility of a mid-cycle console upgrade in the current generation.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Marcia Deakin, Co-Founder of Next Gen Skills Academy, Shahneila Saeed, Head of Education at UKIE and Director of Digital Schoolhouse and Keira McGarvey, Head of People at FuturLab join Will Freeman for the latest edition of our Playable Futures Series.

Episode six of the Playable Futures podcast assembles a panel of experts to tackle the challenges and opportunities of the industry’s talent pipeline, and how the sector finds itself at a crossroads in terms of future proofing recruitment for the medium and long term success of the sector. 

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to ponder the year ahead.

Rather than offering predictions on what we think will happen in the business of video games this year, we share our hopes for what we want to see. 

The discussion ranges from serious concerns such as the desire to see more unionisation among developers and fewer immoral monetisation practices, to more personal wishes such as more innovative AAA games, a fresh wave of quirky indie titles and, er, the return of companion apps.

We also share our most anticipated games of the year.

You can find more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The latest of our Playable Futures series tackles the industry's foundational duo - Publisher and Developer - and looks at what the future holds for Publishing in a sector in which the rate of change is rapid and accelerating. It’s also one in which the balance between Community, Audience, Developer and Publisher has shifted irrevocably. 

For Episode 5, presenter Will Freeman speaks to Jean-Paul Hardy, General Manager of Gearbox Amsterdam and Thomas Hegarty, Founder and Director of Roll7. Veterans of the publisher/developer relationship, the duo draw on their many years of experience in publishing and developing videogames and take a long view on what is in store for the future.

Hardy reflects on how things have changed since he started out, when the publisher was responsible for a game’s launch and little else.

“When I started in the industry, you just launched and left. Print was king and if you had the budget you would do TV. Then all of a sudden online was the holy grail of marketing and publishing. I’ve seen 20 holy grails come by since then and these days it’s all about data-driven things.”

Today, as Hardy explains, publishing has evolved to encompass more than “simple” awareness.

“It’s so many things and it only gets bigger and bigger. If you don’t limit yourself and focus on key areas, you’re going to get spread so thin. You won’t be able to do everything properly.”

Hegarty reflects on how specialist, nuanced and important Marketing has become, as well as the value that a Publisher’s perspective can bring. 

“As we’ve grown our ambition and our budgets grow, there’s more risk attached to what we’re doing. We can’t just hope we’ve hit the right note. We’ve got to do the analysis and that’s where working with a publisher has been really good. 

Interestingly, they settle on certain fundamentals that seem to characterise the publisher/developer relationship whatever the era: trust and open, frank communication. 

“The publisher still has that same love of gaming that a developer has,” Hardy states. “They just look at it in a different way because we have different expertise.”  

“Community is absolutely key. It always has been,” adds Hegarty, “There has been a big shift in the last couple of years where we actually see active changes within the game from people watching live on Twitch and that makes you think very differently about the game from the design point of view, which goes all the way through to how to release the game.”

Are we looking at a future where the audience, developer, publisher and community become more interwoven? One thing is for sure - this episode leaves you thinking that the future is positive and exciting, and despite the inevitable challenges - good publisher / developer relations will provide plenty of solutions. 

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics and discusses their favourite games of the year.

In addition, we discuss several of the honourable mentions, the titles we've delved deeply into throughout the course of 2022 but haven't quite established themselves as our favourites.

You can read our full thoughts on each member of the team's on the site throughout this week.

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It’s a double whammy for our latest episode of the Playable Futures Podcast, with gaming communities at the centre of the discussion.

For this episode, presenter Will Freeman chats to Mark Reed, Founder of Heaven Media to reflect on gaming’s relationship with marketing and the important role that communities play in shaping its landscape.

He then interviews Romain de Waubert de Genlis, Studio Head and Chief Creative Officer at Amplitude Studios who discusses how his platform Games2Gether aims to bring the gaming community into the dev process.

Both spokespeople take a long view on the importance of community, but what becomes clear is that factoring community into marketing strategies (amongst other project milestones) early in a campaign can prove pivotal in its success – and in many ways it always has been – but as we look to the future it will be an important key to success. 

As Mark Reed says: “For as long as I’ve been gaming, communities have always been at the heart of gaming and that’s still very true today.”

Having witnessed significant changes over the course of a lengthy career, Mark reflects on how studios, publishers and developers have had to adapt to put their players and, crucially, engagement with them, first. Reflecting on the '90s, when the majors ignored their player base until launch, Mark suggests that the industry has now begun to accommodate them as early as possible. After all, if publishers don’t nurture their audience, they stand a chance of falling at the first hurdle.

If communities are key to successful games marketing, what is their future with regards to the creation and making of new and exciting titles?  

Romain, meanwhile, is co-founder and Creative Director of Games2Gether, a video game co-creation platform that brings the gaming community together and provides a platform for creators to swap ideas and collaborate on development. This further democratisation of the creative process puts budding developers first, enabling creators to swap ideas in a like-minded environment with no gatekeepers.

“What people usually don’t like when they try to interact with a team is they will feel that they’re not being listened to… We have one million players, so it’s hard to tell everyone to listen to everyone at any one time, but it’s all about transparency.”

And what Romain touches on here is something that is true when applied to gaming communities, dev communities and is a core principle of good games marketing to boot – with clarity, simplicity and openness the sector can maintain new and powerful channels of conversation and use the benefits thereof to build the games industry of the future. 

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics to look back at some of the biggest stories and trends of the year.

Using a recent edition of This Week In Business as a jumping off point, we discuss whether 2022 was a weak year for new video games (as some folks believe) and how well the line-up compares to previous years.

We also discuss the biggest trends, such as the wave of potentially industry-changing M&A deals that rocked the business back in January.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz

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For the latest episode of the Playable Futures Podcast, games journalist Will Freeman is joined by representatives from three of the many independent and mid-size studios that are currently making waves in the games industry.

Playtonic Games business development manager Stephanie Darrah, nDreams CEO Patrick O'Luanaigh, and Nosebleed Interactive managing director Andreas Firnigl discuss how much the game space has changed in the past decade and what it means to be an indie in a world where their titles are vying for audiences’ attention alongside AAA behemoths.

With the landscape ever changing, many developers are becoming publishers themselves, taking their experiences of working with external parties to inform their own ventures into the space.

“A lot of developers like us have become publishers because we’ve been through the process ourselves,” Stephanie explains. “We’ve developed a game from start to finish. We’ve done ports ourselves. We’ve had publishing partners and we know the next steps after development, like QA and localisation… We know the pitfalls and we know the milestones.”

Community is integral to industry success too, with many publishers increasingly focusing on nurturing talent and sharing knowledge across the indie space.

“We’ve been in those shoes and we know people who are now trying to be in those shoes,” Stephanie adds. “For us, it fits the model of the industry as a whole. It’s about helping people. It’s about trying to make it a better space… You connect with people who are needing that support and suddenly you’re a consultant, or a publisher.”

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva.

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The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast is back, as the team once again gathers around their mics to discuss the biggest stories of the week.

We start with the highs and lows of the latest Pokémon launch. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are smashing series records in key territories and are the most ambitious entries to date – but it turns out that ambition comes at a price.

With widespread complaints and viral examples of technical issues, we discuss the potential impact of Scarlet and Violet's woes on the franchise's reputation, and what Game Freak and The Pokémon Company need to do to avoid this in future generations.

We also discuss the end of Blizzard's 14-year partnership with NetEase, how the publisher might try to re-enter the lucrative Chinese market, and why NetEase is setting its sights on the Western markets.

(A quick apology about the audio quality, particularly for Jeffrey. We are investigating the issue and hope to fix this by the next episode)

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For the second outing of the Playable Futures Podcast, games journalist Will Freeman chats with Tommy Palm, founder and CEO of Resolution Games to reflect on the future of virtual reality. 

An industry veteran responsible for the enormous success of Candy Crush Saga, Palm has since shifted his focus to the world of virtual reality, courtesy of Ultimechs, Resolution’s new multiplayer VR gaming experience.

There are now more than ten million headsets in the market, so with VR well established as an accessible gaming platform, the barriers to entry are now significantly reduced. With the initial years of hype behind us, the format has begun to flourish on its own terms, becoming a fertile creative space for experimental games and ideas that were previously impossible to achieve.

Palm reflects on VR’s complete reinvention of the traditional gaming experience, which in many ways parallels the evolution he witnessed in the mobile gaming space. 

“One of the most exciting things about mobile games in the beginning was the touchscreen. It enabled direct control. You could see it so clearly with small children. They would touch the object they wanted to move. It was so incredibly intuitive and we have a little bit of that going on with VR.”

Palm also discusses a world of creative possibilities that are only possible in VR. However wonderful and engaging the best games are, they still exist within the standard confines of gaming. VR continues to pioneer away from this, removing the need for a conventional controller-based experience in place of intuitive, responsive play that has continued to change the game.

“You want more intricate interaction with games. Visually, they are stunning, but you want more interaction with your games. In VR you have hands, eye-tracking, and voice.”

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews, and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE, and Diva.

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"In eight years' time, I'd like to see the video games industry being the greenest industry in the world and that the players that play games are coming to it, not just to escape, but to give back as well."

The wider creative industries are increasingly looking to games for inspiration. After all, it’s probably fair to say that gaming is now bigger than the Beatles – so why wouldn’t the world of music and film be looking to video games for a steer on how to engage their audiences?

In the first episode of the Playable Futures Podcast, games journalist Will Freeman – a regular GamesIndustry.biz contributor – speaks to the UN Environment's Chief of Education, Youth & Advocacy, Sam Barratt, about the United Nation’s Playing for the Planet Alliance, and why the UN sees games as part of its mission’s future. 

In this wide-ranging chat, Sam reflects on how the gaming sector can use its influence to shift the world from where we are to where it needs to be. As a medium that inspires and engages like no other, he discusses how games could encourage audiences to act and make a real difference. 

The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews, and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GamesIndustry.biz, UKIE and Diva.

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Our special podcast series The Five Games Of returns with Tim Schafer, founder, CEO and president of Double Fine Productions. And the episode is available to download now.

For those who may have missed past episodes, this is a series of interviews in which we explore how the games industry has changed over the course of five games from our guest's careers: their first, their latest, and three of their choice.

In this episode, Schafer shares how he came to work at LucasFilm Games, the evolution of the adventure genre that the studio was best known for, the transition to early 3D graphics, the complexities of music licensing, and the changing attitudes towards comedy in games.

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To succeed in mobile games today, you not only need to make a great game, but you need to have a strong monetisation plan from the very beginning.

In this special GamesIndustry.biz Podcast, Meta Audience Network’s Michael Bertaut discusses the state of in-game advertising, player acquisition and the future of monetisation. He reveals the latest data on where things are heading and details Meta’s view on how developers can make the most of the new opportunities.

"We’ve noticed a shift from building great games to building a great gaming business," said Bertaut. "Sure, great games are foundational, but long term-success means shifting the focus a bit. To build a strong and sustainable gaming business, one needs both great games and game monetization expertise."

As far as challenges go, there is no question that a loss of mobile ad identifiers had a significant impact on the ecosystem. Developers are facing the reality that old ad formats can no longer be relied upon and innovation solutions are required."

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest stories from the business of video games.

We start this week's episode with thoughts on how the industry will fare in the impending recession. The business models supporting games companies have changed dramatically since the last financial collapse, so how will economic changes affect spending on everything from free-to-play titles and in-game purchases to subscriptions?

We also discuss the recent Grand Theft Auto 6 leak and the consequenes of leaks in general on the industry in general. For one thing, it's highlighted the misconceptions that video games' graphics are finalised before the gameplay, but do consumers need to understand more about how these titles are developed?

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. For the biggest news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our daily newsletter at www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest stories from the business of video games.

This week, we focus on Ubisoft - starting with our interview with CEO Yves Guillemot. The company has faced years of scrutiny following the wave of abuse allegations in 2020, but is it doing enough to address the issues within its workplace? 

We also talk about the accountability of leadership at AAA firms, as well as Ubisoft's plans for its flagship franchises - especially Assassin's Creed - and the implications for its business going forward.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at GamesIndustry.biz.

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James Batchelor is joined by VG247's Alex Donaldson to discuss the biggest reveals and announcements at Gamescom Opening Night Live.

Over the course of the episode, we discuss the breadth (or perhaps lack thereof) of games on show, the importance of giving smaller publishers the opportunity to shine in the absence of major players, and the long-awaited reveal of Everywhere - the debut game from the studio formed by ex-GTA producer Leslie Benzies.

We also share our personal highlights, and talk about the range of new IP on show.

For more news, insight and analysis, head to www.gamesindustry.biz

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The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast is back, with the team once again gathering around their mics to discuss the biggest stories from the business of video games.

This week, we're taking a look at the current wave of financial results, showing each company's performance for the first quarter of the financial year (April to June 2022). Most, but not all, show some form of decline - an inevitable sign as pandemic measures ease and more people venture outside.

We discuss the implications for each of the platform holders and two AAA publishers. If you're not familiar with their most recent results, check out our coverage here:

• Activision Blizzard
• Electronic Arts
• Xbox
• PlayStation
• Nintendo

As always, you can get more news, insight and analayst at www.gamesindustry.biz

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics and discuss the biggest news of the past week.

Naturally, this episode focuses on the various showcases that filled the void left by the absence of E3. From Starfield to The Plucky Squire and beyond, we dive into the highlights, lowlights and the impressions we got about where games are headed in the next year.

From a AAA standpoint, it was a largely underwhelming week, but has that hindered the many indie games shown off over the last two weeks?

As always, you can get more news, analysis and insight at www.gamesindustry.biz. And be sure to check out our extensive roundup of everything announced this month.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics and discuss the biggest stories from the business of video games.

With the wave of livestreams and showcases that would traditionally have been grouped around E3 now upon us, we ponder the week ahead and what we can expect from each of the major events.

We also reflect on PlayStation's most recent State of Play, diving into the line-up, the prospects for PlayStation VR2 and the curiously low profile of PlayStation Plus ahead of its revamp.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz

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Following the launch of his memoir, Disrupting The Game, we talk to him about his experiences at Nintendo and as one of the industry's few prominent Black gaming executives.

He also shares his thoughts on the industry's ongoing diversity issues in general, as well as thoughts on the future of games, including the use of cloud technology and how Nintendo can follow up on the success of the Switch.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. For the latest and biggest industry news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics and discuss the biggest stores from across the business of video games.

Well, we say 'team' but this week it's just Brendan and James, and we say 'stories' but there's only one topic we're diving into this time: Square Enix's sale of Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal and Square Enix Montreal for $300 million.

We discuss the surprisingly low price tag given that the deal includes major IP such as Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief and Legacy of Kain, as well as the many commercial struggles Square Enix's Western studios have gone through that likely led to this sale.

We also talk about the news in context of a wider existential crisis among Japanese publishers, which you can read more about in Brendan's excellent piece from earlier this week.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest news from across the business of video games.

For this episode, we start by discussing the news that both Sony and Microsoft are reportedly considering introducing in-game ads into free-to-play titles on their consoles.

While both are said to be working on inobtrusive methods, the initial reception to the news has not been positive. We discuss the rise of advertising in games, previous attempts to establish this as a model on consoles, and what limitations remain.

We also reflect on the recent news that Apple is requiring developers to update years-old apps, with the threat of removal if they don't, and what impact this will have on game preservation and more.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysts at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics to dive deeper into some of the big discussions coursing through the business of video games.

First, we explore a recent article written for us by TinyBuild CEO Alex Nichiporchik on why review scores are dead. We share our own thoughts on the relevance of both reviews and the numbers attached to them, as well as the many hurdles that have been thrown at critics as video games have evolved as a medium.

Then we discuss this week's comments from Square Enix president and CEO Yosuke Matsuda, who suggests that Japanese studios are likely to struggle if they attempt to emulate Western-developed games.

As always, you can get more news, analysis and insight at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest news from the world behind video games.

This week, we focus on the long-rumoured overhaul of PlayStation Plus, now revealed to be a three-tier system (with a fourth for regions without streaming).

The team shares their reactions to Sony's souped-up offering, and our thoughts on how benefits such as a retro library and access to PlayStation Now have been spread across the tiers.

We also discuss the (unsurprising) lack of simultaneous launches of new first-party titles, and the broader implications as the games industry expands how it uses the subscription model to engage with consumers.

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GamesIndustry.biz is hosting a special episode of Video Games Real Talk, featuring former Sony PlayStation Studios chairman Shawn Layden.

During the session, Layden shares his insighs of the global video games industry, offers advice to games studios and tells us what it was like working for the founder of Sony, Akio Morita.

Hosted by Streamline Media Group CEO Alexander Fernandez and recorded just over a year ago, the session discusses topics such as industry diversity, how the games industry can expand beyond its borders, the increase in the finance industry's involvement in games and the importance of culture, leadership and disrupting your business.

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This week, we start by discussing the varying responses from games companies of all sizes to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine -- with a particular focus on the many major firms who have halted all sales in the region.

We’ve since reported that these platform holders and publishers areturning their back on a $3.4 billion market -- a not insignificant move on their part -- but we also discuss the precedent the industry is setting with this show of support ahead of the next inevitable conflict.

If you haven’t already, be sure to also read our interview with a Kyiv-based developer about his experience of living in a city under siege.

Elsewhere on the podcast, we ponder the implications of Epic’s surprise acquisition of Bandcamp -- something we have explored in even further depth with music creators here.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest news from the past week.

On this episode, we start with a discussion about the DICE Summit keynote from EA executive vice president and chief operating officer Laura Miele, in which she said that games company leaders who “fall short of basic standards” should be removed.

Next, we address the implications of the rumoured delay to the Call of Duty planned for 2023, which would mark the first year without a premium title in almost two decades. Has Call of Duty finally peaked, and could it be time for a new approach?

Finally, we discuss the announcement of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and Game Freak’s open-world ambitions. (Ironically, while we were recording a conversation in which some members of the team suggested the studio take a break, another member published an article about why now is not the time to do so).

We would also like to direct listeners’ attention to the industry efforts raising funds to support those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. You can find more information, including donation links, here.

As always, you can find more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Following Team17's speedy withdrawal from its proposed NFT project, we explore the sentiments behind the backlash against this divisive technology (for more on this, be sure to read the latest This Week In Business).

We also discuss the debate around Sifu and other games about different cultures that are still developed by studios predominantly staffed by white men.

As always, you can get more news and insight at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics and discusses the biggest news of the past week.

On this episode, we are of course delving into Sony's $3.6 billion acquisiton of Bungie, as well as our exclusive interview with PlayStation boss Jim Ryan and the Destiny studio's CEO Pete Parsons.

The discussion explores the future of Destiny (and any other properties Bungie creates), Sony's live-service ambitions, the increasing consolidation in the AAA games industry, and that hefty price tag.

You can get more news and insight at www.gamesindustry.biz

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest news of the past week.

This week, that does of course mean delving deeper into Microsoft's record-breaking plan to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7bn.

We've already spoken to analysts about, as one referred to it, "the deal that will change the industry forever" and posed our own unanswered questions about the deal.

During this episode, we discuss the wider implications of the acquisition, why the companies might be a good fit for each other, and what we might expect from the next 18 months.

As always, you can get more news and insight at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics to discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

On this episode, we start with Take-Two's $12.7bn acquisition of mobile giant Zynga, delving into why the publisher of GTA and Borderlands might want to grow its presence in the mobile market.

We also discuss a similar topic: the rise of the Apple Arcade subscription service and how it clashes with typical free-to-play games design, following an article we ran by Seattle University's Dr Christopher A Paul.

(Please note: This episode was recorded before Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. We will discuss that story on next week's episode)

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The GamesIndustry.biz podcast is back, with the team gathering around their mics to discuss the year ahead.

Following our annual analysts' predictions feature, we discuss some of the more interesting topics that emerged and how we think they might develop.

Subjects include the ongoing rumours around PlayStation's subscription plans, renewed interest in virtual reality, the impressive release slate for 2022 (and potential for delays), and more.

As always you can get more insight at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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For our final podcast of the year, the GamesIndustry.biz team discuss the best games we played in 2021.

Be sure to check out the website for our Games of the Year articles. We'll speak to you all in 2022.

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In the first of our two year-end shows, we reflect on some of the biggest topics of the past 12 months in the games industry.

We start with a discussion about the state of the AAA market, with a particular focus on the wave of new studios we've seen emerge - and the room for improvement when it comes to diversity behind the scenes.

Then, we recap the highlights and implications of the Epic vs Apple trial from earlier this year. And we finish off with an update on our thoughts on what are undeniably the two biggest buzzwords of 2021: 'blockchain' and 'metaverse.'

We'll be back next week with our Games of the Year show. For now, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest stories from across the video games business.

This week, we're taking Xbox's 20th anniversary as a chance to reflect on the evolution of the brand and the impact it has had on the wider industry - something we've explored in detail here.

We also share our first and fondest memories of the original Xbox, and discuss why it's the Xbox 360 that will trigger the biggest nostalgia moment for Microsoft's console business.

And if you haven't already, be sure to check out our interview with Microsoft VP Sarah Bond about the future of Xbox and how it is still trying to change the games industry.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest stories from the business of video games.

This week, we start with a discussion on the wave of name-dropping for NFTs and blockchains in major publishers' recent financial results - a trend on which we have made our stance very clear.

As our contributing editor Rob Fahey observes, there is something of an agenda behind why even the execs that are somewhat skeptical about this new technology are referencing it in their earnings calls.

Then we move to the upcoming release of Skyrim: Anniversary Edition and the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy, and explore why re-releases of certain titles - even those that have been made widely available over the years - continue not only to sell, but also appeal to us personally.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team discusses some of the biggest stories of the past week, where the phrase "Surely you can do better than this" applied in various ways.

We start by discussing the changes promised by Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, who seeks to address the many concerns about the publisher's workplace culture with investment into diversity initiatives and recruitment as well as a voluntary paycut to his salary and compensation.

The plans have been declared as "a huge win" by the ABK Workers Alliance, but SOC Investment Group still believes more needs to be done -- at least in terms of executive pay -- and it throws into sharp relief the lack of a similar response by Ubisoft.

And speaking of Ubisoft, the direct source of this podcast's title is a marketing email in which Far Cry 6's villain goads the player for not spending more time on the game, among other things. We discuss the many perils of chasing engagement, both in terms of this email and the reaction to Brendan's tweet about it.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team discusses the biggest stories of the past week.

First up, we discuss the ongoing dance between Electronic Arts and football association FIFA. While EA has claimed it's considering a rebrand for its best-selling football series, FIFA has suggested it's considering licensing out its brand to additional parties.

We ponder what each side has to lose or gain, or whether ultimately these are just negotiating tactics and the world's biggest-selling game will likely remain just the way it is.

Then, following complaints from Metroid Dread developers who did not receive credit in the final game, we explore what should earn a place in any project's staff roll.

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This week, we're bringing you podcast versions of the best sessions for GI Live: London, which ran alongside EGX 2021.

In our final episode, we speak to Obsidian Entertainment CEO Feargus Urquhart about working with publishers.

The discussion offers advice to studios on what they should look for in a publishing partner, and also explores the road to Microsoft's acquisition of Obsidian and the interested parties that came before it.

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This week, we're bringing you podcast versions of the best sessions for GI Live: London, which ran alongside EGX 2021.

Today's episode is our exclusive interview with Jade Raymond, best known for her work leading studios at Ubisoft and EA and launching franchises such as Assassin's Creed. 

Raymond is currently building up her new company, Haven Studios, which has already received investment from PlayStation. We speak to her about the studio's progress, forming a team of former Assassin's Creed and Stadia developers, and Raymond's hopes for the future.

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This week, we're bringing you podcast versions of the best sessions for GI Live: London, which ran alongside EGX 2021.

Today's episode is the keynote fireside chat between our own Christopher Dring and Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan.

The discussion explores Jim's career at PlayStation throughout its history, his thoughts on the future of PS5, and his hopes for the growth of the video games industry.

(As this is ripped from the session on the day, Chris ends with a teaser for a discussion with Warner Music. There will not be a podcast version of this session, but you can find the full video on our YouTube channel)

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics and discuss the biggest news of the past week.

First up, following an article by Kotaku's Carolyn Petit and a call from OutMakingGames, we discuss how Rockstar Games should handle the transphobic elements of Grand Theft Auto 5 as it prepares to release the best-selling title on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

OutMakingGames and Petit both call for the content's removal, or a context disclaimer decrying transphobia in today's society, but whether or not that's something Rockstar will do is another matter.

We also delve deeper into the topic of accessibility, not only following the discussions around Deathloop but also our in-depth guide on how to make your game more accessible to a wider audience and why it's important to do so.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics and discusses the biggest stories of the past week.

On this episode, we take a deeper dive into the announcements from the recent Nintendo Direct -- particularly the decision to lock N64 and Genesis/Mega Drive games to a new, more expensive tier.

We discuss Nintendo's approach to online and the subscription model, the value of making retro games available on modern platforms, and the baffling price tag for those classic controllers.

Elsewhere, we discuss other highlights of the Direct -- such as Kirby's The Last Of Us -- and the lowlights (hello, Mr Pratt).

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

First, we're joined by indie developer Shahid Ahmad to pay tribute to Sir Clive Sinclair, the inventor of the ZX Spectrum who passed away last week.

Then we reflect on the Epic vs Apple judgement and the reactions that have emerged since it was released.

Finally, we discuss the launch of Arkane's acclaimed Deathloop and how, for all the praise it has garnered from critics, it's an example of certain aspects where AAA is still lacking.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, we're presenting audio versions of the panel discussions from this year's Best Places To Work Awards UK.

In our final podcast of the week, we continue our tradition of interviewing last year's winner of the Best Boss award before this year's winner is revealed.

During this chat with GamesIndustry.biz's Christopher Dring, Creative Assembly studio director Gareth Edmonson talks about taking over a team during a pandemic, and the lessons he's learned about being a good manager.

You can find the full video at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, we're presenting audio versions of the panel discussions from this year's Best Places To Work Awards UK.

For our third session, we focus on mental health and share best practices on supporting staff.

The panel features Third Kind Games' Heidi Slee, Creative Assembly's Sarah Howell and Safe In Our World's Sarah Sorrell, and is hosted by GamesIndustry.biz's Christopher Dring.

You can find the full video at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, we're presenting audio versions of the panel discussions from this year's Best Places To Work Awards UK.

In today's session, a panel of professionals discuss the fight to address climate change and what more the games industry can do to aid these efforts.

The panel featurs Playing for the Planet's Deborah Mensah-Bonsu, Ustwo Games' Jane Campbell, Games London's Michael French and Sports Interactive's Miles Jacobson. It is hosted by GamesIndustry.biz's Christopher Dring.

You can find the full video at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, we're presenting audio versions of the panel discussions from this year's Best Places To Work Awards UK.

Today, Amiqus' Liz Prince hosts a discussion about the importance and influence of leadership on culture and diversity.

Rather than focusing solely on why a diverse team is important for your business, this panel offers some actionable steps that leadership can take to accelerate their EDI journeys.

You can find the full video at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss some of the biggest stories from the past week.

First up, we discuss reactions to Fortnite's March Through Time, a scenario designed to explore the impact of Martin Luther King and educate a new generation about his work and iconic speech.

For all its good intentions, the mode quickly attracted criticism and even had to be modified to disable the use of emotes. We share our thoughts on how Epic has handled the implementation of this tribute, and the potential for educational experiences in games.

Next, we follow up on our interview with Supercell about Everdale, the Clash of Clans studio's co-operative, "peaceful" multiplayer game -- and how difficult it is to create a free-to-play, engagement-driven multiplayer title that is dominated by a certain type of player.

Finally, we use the retirement of Nintendo's Lance Barr, the man who redesigned the NES and SNES for the West, to weigh up our favourite and least favourite console designs of all time.

Title music composed by Thomas Marchant. Episode produced by Alix Attenborough.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest news of the past week.

First up, we explore the current backlash Twitch is facing over increased hate raids targeting marginalised streamers, which has prompted content creators to plan a day-long strike from using the platform.

Twitch claims it is working to improve its tools, but the site's own transparency report and our exposé on the company culture aren't in its favour.

Next, we discuss the scrutiny around Roblox and its divisive monetisation model, further thrown into light by a recent investigation suggesting the company is exploiting young game developers.

Finally, we touch on the conversation around Boyfriend Dungeon, its triggering storylines, and the delicate balance between exploring sensitive subjects in games and impacting your audience in an unintended way.

Title music composed by Thomas Marchant. Episode produced by Thomas Quilfeldt.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to discuss the biggest news from the world behind video games.

This week, Chris, Brendan and James take a deeper look at the trends seen across the most recent wave of financial reports, which represents the first quarter that can be directly compared to a period where the majority of the world was in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While most major companies saw at least one key metric decline year-on-year, there's more to the numbers than other reports might have you believe.

The discussion also explores Nintendo's strategy for the remainder of the Switch's lifecycle and what it might do beyond that, as well as how Sony can reinvigorate PlayStation Plus (if it even needs to do so).

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week's episode is a little different, as we delve deeper into an issue that continues to affect people across the games industry.

Splash Damage's Cinzia Musio and Limit Break founder Anisa Sanusi join us to discuss how to deal with discrimination and harassment, not just from a company point of view, but from the position of everyone in the industry.

We talk about how reporting processes can be improved, how leaders and managers can better support their staff, how low-level staff can speak up and stand against any misconduct they witness, and how victims can find the support they need - especially if they do not believe their employer will take their story seriously.

Content warning: While we do not discuss any specific examples of harassment or abuse, the general context of the conversation is one that may bring such experiences to mind. 

We'll also be publishing an article collating links to resources and support for those who are suffering from harassment and discrimination in the games industry. If you have any suggestions you would like to see added to it, email [email protected].

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Throughout this month, we've been taking a deeper dive into the world of video games recruitment and the challenges facing both applicants wanting to enter the industry and companies wanting to secure the best talent.

For our fourth and final 'jobscast,' we take a look at the role recruitment plays in diversifying the industry workforce and supporting staff equally - a rather fitting topic given that we recorded on the day of the Activision Blizzard lawsuit.

Our panel this week includes Creative Assembly's Emma Smith, Iron Galaxy's Rejess Marshall, Phoenix Labs' Jeanne-Marie Owens and Schell Games' Lauren Reed.

We discuss how games companies can expand where they search for new recruits, improve their job listings and interview processes to appeal to a broader range of applicants, and the importance of fair compensation.

Please note: We had a few connectivity issues during the panel, so there are some brief glitches in the audio, for which we apologise.

This series is part of our Get A Job In Games Month.

Title music composed by Thomas Marchant.

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The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team gathers around their mics to discuss the biggest stories of the week.

This week, the conversation returns to reports of discrimination and harassment at AAA games firms - most notably Activision Blizzard, which is facing a lawsuit from the DFEH, but also Ubisoft following the latest report of toxic elements within one of its studios.

We discuss the need for more consequences for both those directly responsible for discrimination, harassment, abuse and more, but also the companies they work for, who continue to fail to protect the rest of their staff.

During the discussion, we recommend several resources for those in the industry who need a safe space or support, as well as information for companies and recruiters that may help resolve these issues in the long term. All of these can be found below:

https://www.rainn.org/articles/sexual-harassment

https://gameshotline.org/

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

https://www.takethis.org/mental-health-resources/

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-03-08-creating-a-diverse-workforce-ukie-raisethegame-report

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-09-14-level-up-on-diversity-three-changes-to-get-more-women-into-games

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-02-04-how-to-identify-and-avoid-unconscious-bias

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-07-02-how-to-patch-out-implicit-bias-from-your-hiring-process

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-03-08-gamesindustry-biz-academy-resources-to-champion-women-in-games

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Throughout this month, we'll be taking a deeper dive into the world of video games recruitment and the challenges facing both applicants wanting to enter the industry and companies wanting to secure the best talent.

For our third 'jobscast,' we take a look at the onboarding process and how studios can better prepare recruits for their new role. We discuss the challenges involved -- both before and during the pandemic -- as well as how the process differs depending on which stage of a project you're bringing in new team members.

Our panel this week includes Jagex's Jody Zarkos, Timbre Studios' Zoë Curnoe and Geoff Coates, and Rogue Games' Chris Archer.

This series is part of our Get A Job In Games Month.

Title music composed by Thomas Marchant.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers behind their mics to discuss the biggest story of the week: the Steam Deck.

With Valve's long-rumoured Switch-like handheld gaming PC finally unveiled, we discuss our reactions to the reveal and who the audience for this device might be.

We also explore the possibilities for indie developers -- or indeed any developers -- and the potential for Steam Deck to introduce a new route into the PC games market in a way that has not been seen in years.

In the last segment of this week's show, Brendan offers a breakdown of this year's report on the use of conflict minerals in the games industry. You can find the full report here. 

Title music by Thomas Marchant. Episode mastered by Thomas Quillfeldt.

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Throughout this month, we'll be taking a deeper dive into the world of video games recruitment and the challenges facing both applicants wanting to enter the industry and companies wanting to secure the best talent.

For our second 'jobscast,' we take a look at the role of academia in preparing aspiring developers for a role in the industry, and how those who seek a career in games can secure the role they want.

Our panel this week includes University of Southern California's Tracy Fullerton, Carnegie Mellon University's Thomas Corbett, Staffordshire University's Nia Wearn, and Falmouth University's Nick Dixon.

This series is part of our Get A Job In Games Month.

Title music composed by Thomas Marchant.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather to discuss the biggest news of the week: A new Nintendo Switch.

Not the the Switch Pro, New Nintendo Switch or Super Switch that had been rumoured and reported on for so long, but the OLED Model with a larger screen, wider kickstand and LAN port.

We discuss the root of the disappointment around its reveal, the implications of this handheld-centric update, who the new console appeals to and the consumer mentality around hardware upgrades.

As always you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Over the next four weeks, we'll be taking a deeper dive into the world of video games recruitment and the challenges facing both applicants wanting to enter the industry and companies wanting to secure the best talent.

For our first 'jobscast,' we're joined by Square Enix Montreal recruiter Agathe Fallet, NDreams' chief people officer Tamsin O'Luanaigh and Marvelous Europe's head of production and operations Sarah Burns.

This episode looks at the biggest challenges developers and publishers encounter when recruiting, how they can stand out from the competition in appealing to potential new hires, and how the recruitment process differs across different markets and disciplines.

This series is part of our Get A Job In Games Month.

Title music composed by Thomas Marchant.

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The Five Games Of is a special series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast that explores the evolution of the video games business through the career of prominent developers, executives and more.

This time, we explore five games from the career of Warren Spector, industry veteran and one of the key figures crediting with defining the immersive sim.

We explore the breadth of Spector's career, starting with his time on classic Ultima RPGs and the groundbreaking Ultima Underworld.

We also exploring the origins of the acclaimed Deus Ex and the biggest commercial hit of Spector's career: Epic Mickey.

Title music by Juilan Villareal.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, Brendan and James are joined by Michael Varner, director of executive compensation research at CtW Investment Group, to discuss recent developments in the world of AAA publishing.

Earlier this month, Activision delayed its say-on-pay vote at the request of shareholders amid an ongoing campaign by CtW and other parties to persuade shareholders to vote against compensation proposals for its biggest execs, including CEO Bobby Kotick.

That vote was later passed with 54% approval -- an all-time company low -- meaning Kotick and co will continue to receive what CtW describes as "outsized equity pay"

Meanwhile, Electronic Arts recently unveiled several changes to its executive compensation program -- although CEO Andrew Wilson still stands to receive $39.2 million, an increase of 83% year-on-year.

Our guest helps us dive into all this and more as we try to better understand these companies' justification for executives' more than generous compensation.

Title music by Thomas Marchant. Episode mastered by Thomas Quillfeldt. 

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The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around this mics to reflect on this year's E3 (and all the other adjacent events).

Rather than go through the announcements individually - we collated all the biggest reveals and release dates on the site - we insted each choose a trend, topic or announcement we found interesting from an industry perspective.

We also select the titles we are personally most looking forward to out of the hundreds tht were unveiled and showcased last week.

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In our final GI at E3 Newscast, James and Danielle are joined by indie developer Shahid Ahmad to reflect on the full week of game announcements and reveals.

During the course of the conversation, we weigh up the strategies of both Xbox and Nintendo, discuss the shortcomings of a digital-only E3, and debate the merits of Microsoft's 'everything on Game Pass' model vs PlayStation's focus on $70 blockbusters.

You can find the newscasts on our YouTube channel and you can follow all our E3 2021 coverage at GamesIndustry.biz.

Title music composed by Thomas Marchant.

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Throughout the next week, we're hosting (almost) daily video newscasts on the big news from E3, Summer Games Fest et al - with handy podcast versions for those who prefer audio discussions.

Today, Chris, James and Brendan are joined by Velan Studios co-founder Guha Bala to talk about the Nintendo Direct and the end of this year's E3.

We discuss the surprises of new Metroid and old Advance Wars, the ongoing wait for Breath of the Wild's sequel, the lack of Zelda anniversary celebrations, the intricacies of cross-play and the use of celebrities at events like E3.

You can find the newscasts on our YouTube channel and you can follow all our E3 2021 coverage at GamesIndustry.biz.

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Throughout the next week, we're hosting (almost) daily video newscasts on the big news from E3, Summer Games Fest et al - with handy podcast versions for those who prefer audio discussions.

Today, James and Marie are joined by Cassia Curran of Wings Interactive to talk about some of the biggest news from the Xbox & Bethesda showcase and Square Enix Presents.

We also spend a good amount of the episode talking about the presence of indies at E3, the difference between riskier, more creative games and safer AAA bets, and the balance (or lack thereof) between violent and non-violent games.

You can find the newscasts on our YouTube channel and you can follow all our E3 2021 coverage at GamesIndustry.biz.

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Throughout the next week, we're hosting (almost) daily video newscasts on the big news from E3, Summer Games Fest et al - with handy podcast versions for those who prefer audio discussions.

Today, Chris and James are joined by the first of our special industry guests: Grant Kirkhope, composer of Banjo-Kazooie, Goldeneye 64, Perfect Dark, Yooka-Laylee... and the newly-announced Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope.

Grant joins us to share a little more on his role on the upcoming strategy game, as well as his thoughts on the Ubisoft line-up and a LOT of insight into what it's like both working on these projects and working at a typical E3.

You can find the newscasts on our YouTube channel and you can follow all our E3 2021 coverage at GamesIndustry.biz.

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Throughout E3, we'll be running several video podcasts collecting our thoughts on the big announcements - and we'll be joined by some surprise industry guests to get their take, too.

For this first edition, Chris, James and Danielle discuss the first wave of news from Summer Games Fest Kickoff Live and the Battlefield 2042 reveal, as well as our expectations and hopes for the week ahead.

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The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team gather around their mics to discuss the oncoming storm that is E3 2021.

This year's show will be, to say the least, unusual. In the absence of a physical event, the ESA has endeavoured to get as many of the usual publishers and platform holders on board as it can.

Some of the outliers -- such as Ubisoft -- are hosting their own digital events independently of E3, but still running them within the usual window in order to capitalise on the interest around video games announcements. And then there's Summer Games Fest, Geoff Keighley's attempt to bring E3 and all related-but-not-related events under one umbrella.

There's also the ever-present shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, and the fact it's almost impossible to know what impact lockdowns and remote working have had on planned game announcements, even after a year of adapting to these new circumstances.

In the face of all this, we discuss what we expect from each of the major platform holders, as well as some of the biggest publishers. We ponder the plausibility of recent rumours and leaks, and inevitably once again discuss what the future holds for E3 in an age when companies can just broadcast their big news to consumers directly.

As always, you can get more news, analysis and insight at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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For the past few weeks, we've be delivering audio versions of some of the best sessions from our recent GI Live: Online event.

In our final week, our head of games B2B Chris Dring speaks to Peter Moore, currently heading up Sports & Live Entertainment at Unity and serving on the board of directors at sports-centric mobile publisher Nifty Games.

Moore is, of course, best known for his tenures at Xbox and Electronic Arts. Having now returned to games after a stint as CEO of Liverpool FC, he discusses the crossover between the worlds of sports and video games, as well as a few hints at what he might be working on at Unity.

You can also watch the full session on our YouTube channel.

For more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games, visit www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team discusses the high-profile anti-trust case between Epic Games and Apple, joined by special guest Thomas Buscaglia of law firm The Game Attorney.

Buscaglia -- who has previously contributed to our weekly 'in review' roundups of the trial -- gives us insight into some of more interesting aspects of the court proceedings and the arguments both sides makes.

The conversation covers the long wait for a ruling and why that ruling will be far from final, the impact this case will have had on Epic's similar fight against Google, and the contention around the long-standing 30% commission fee.

You can find all our coverage of Epic vs Apple here, as well as our definitive roundup here.

And, of course, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team discuss the biggest news of the past week – including the future of Warner Bros' games studios, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick's skepticism about the metaverse, Embracer's plans for even more acquisitions, and the return of TimeSplitters.

With AT&T forming a joint venture with Discovery, it's been reported that not all of the Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment development teams will be moved over to the new company. We discuss what this means for the publisher's portfolio, and whether this could lead to studio closures.

Next, we discuss Strauss Zelnick's comments about the metaverse and his allergy to buzzwords from a recent investor call. The conversation expands beyond this to the future of Grand Theft Auto Online and the challenges facing GTA 6.

Then we take a look at Embracer Group's revelation that it has been speaking to more than 150 acquisition targets, including 20 with which is hosting late-stage talks. Given the company's reputation for absorbing a wide variety of studios, we ponder how much larger the group can grow and what's sustaining this strategy.

Finally, with news of Free Radical's revival and a new TimeSplitters in the works, we explore why the series remains so popular (at least, James tries to explain this to a justifiably skeptical Brendan and Danielle).

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. 

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For the next few weeks, we'll be delivering audio versions of some of the best sessions from our recent GI Live: Online event.

This week, our head of games B2B Chris Dring speaks to Jon M. Gibson, founder of specialist merchandise provider Iam8bit.

The interview explores the company's origins, some of its biggest successes in bringing collectors' items and even special boxed editions to indie games, and what motivates fans to invest in everything from vinyl soundtracks to art prints. 

You can also watch the full session on our YouTube channel.

For more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games, visit www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team discusses the biggest stories of the past week -- and lays out some simple demands for PlayStation's future.

First up, we discuss Ubisoft's revelation that it will be investing more in high-quality free-to-play experiences based on its biggest brands. We touch on whether this is likely to become the norm for AAA publishers (if it isn't already) and whether free-to-play games might cannibalise their full price counterparts (hint: it's unlikely).

After that, we ponder the news that PlayStation has 25 first-party titles in the works, half of which are said to be new IP. Which Sony properties do we want to see continue, and what are the gaps in their portfolio we believe they need to fill?

Finally, we discuss the issue of scalpers -- or rather how the issue may actually be exaggerated (keep your eyes on the site for more on this topic later this week).

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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For the next few weeks, we'll be delivering audio versions of some of the best sessions from our recent GI Live: Online event.

This week, our head of games B2B Chris Dring speaks Tomas Sakalauskas from No Brakes Games and Curve's VP of Franchise Publishing Gary Rowe about the smash hit indie title Human Fall Flat.

The discussion explores why the physics-based platformer has such broad appeal, how it reached sales levels rarely achieved by indie games, why the developers continue to produce new content for free, and why there's more overlap betwen Human Fall Flat and PUBG than you might think. 

You can also watch the full session on our YouTube channel.

For more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games, visit www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team discuss the biggest stories of the week -- which, of course, means Epic's ongoing antitrust trial against Apple.

We reflect on the first week's events and relevations, and share our thoughts on which side has the stronger argument. We also discuss the potential ramifications for the rest of the industry, and the impact it is already having on other major games firms.

For example, Sony's crossplay strategy was called into question when Epic revealed it agreed to pay an additional royalty in order to allows PS4 Fortnite players to connect with those on other platforms. We discuss Sony's decision and the importance of crossplay.

Finally, with E3 less than a month away, we discuss expectations for this year's digital-only show. Can the show cope with the absence of a few key players, and the continuing onslaught of other digital events?

As always, you can get more news, analysis and insight at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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For the next few weeks, we'll be delivering audio versions of some of the best sessions from our recent GI Live: Online event.

This week, our head of games B2B Chris Dring speaks to IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak about the rollercoaster journey the Hitman studio has been on for the past few years.

The conversation covers everything from IO's split with former publisher and parent Square Enix, through the risky period of supporting Hitman 2016 alone, charting the rise of the World of Assassination trilogy with Hitman 2, and culminating in full independence and self-publishing for this year's Hitman 3. 

You can also watch the full session on our YouTube channel.

For more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games, visit www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team discuss the biggest stories of the past week, starting with the inevitable discourse around Returnal and difficulty in AAA games.

The PlayStation 5 exclusive released to critical acclaim last Friday, but while it's designed to be a challenging experience, it has prompted a discussion as to whether intentionally challenging gameplay is viable at the level of $70 AAA releases.

We share our thoughts on the alternatives to punishing difficulty, the importance of accessibility and why it is separate from the difficulty discussion, and how indie title Hades has changed expectations for the genre.

Next, we reflect on the results of the recent Accenture survey, which showed 66% of gamers are keen to see more titles from socially responsible developers and discuss how to better drown out the 9% that actively don't.

Finally, we look at the recent changes at Toys For Bob, the Crash Bandicoot developer that has become yet another Call of Duty support studio. Are Activision's eggs all in this single (admittedly best-selling) basket?

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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For the next few weeks, we'll be delivering audio versions of some of the best sessions from our recent GI Live: Online event.

This week, our head of games B2B Chris Dring speaks to Guha Bala, co-founder of Vicarious Visions and Velan Studios, the team behind Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit and the upcoming dodgeball multiplayer outing Knockout City.

The episode explores Bala's career and journey from indie developer to AAA and back again, as well as his advice on finding the magic in your game concept.

You can also watch the full session on our YouTube channel.

For more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games, visit www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The entire GamesIndustry.biz team is on hand to discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

We start with unpacking the discourse and the original comments around an interview with Days Gone director Jon Garvin, in which he stated that those wanting a sequel should have bought the game at full price when it launched.

We discuss the many ways the industry has changed and why most titles are no longer reliant on strong early sales, as well as the disparity between demand for a sequel and whether people will actually buy one.

We also look at the implications of Epic adding Itch.io's marketplace to the Epic Games Store and weigh in on Epic vs Apple with our predictions (and concerns) about how the upcoming trial will pan out.

Finally, we also touch on Ubisoft's perhaps ill-advised decision to state that the Assassin's Creed-themed Mr Men books are aimed at young readers as well as adults, and why that's probably not a good idea.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team discusses the biggest stories of the past week.

First up, we take a look at reports that the Epic Games Store is losing hundreds of millions of dollars in its efforts to rival Steam, where that data comes from, Tim Sweeney's cheerful response and why he might be right.

Then, we discuss comments by Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa about how the platform holder may focus more on original IP, and how rarely the company has produced new properties in recent generations.

Finally, we share our thoughts on points made in a recent article on GamesIndustry.biz around how design decisions made to improve the user experience can ultimately be twisted to exploit and monetise users.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The Five Games Of is a special series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast that explores the evolution of the video games business through the career of prominent developers, executives and more.

This time, we explore five games from the career of Brenda Romero, one of longest-running developers in the industry.

With a career spanning almost 40 years, we look at how Brenda found her start working on the Wizardy RPG series at the age of 15 and followed its evolution as the games industry matured around it.  

The discussion that follows encompasses social games, modding, the long-awaited fifth episode of Doom, the Prohibition Era as inspiration, and supporting a budding young game designer in the family as they achieved their first hit.

Title music by Juilan Villareal.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This special series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast talks to developers about the titles that influenced their careers.

This time, our guest is Jean Leggett -- CEO of One More Story Games, leadership and career coach, and host of the Games, Grit & Graditude: Real Talk podcast. 

Leggett discusses the impact of the Tex Murphy adventure games on her career, her studio, and even her company's game engine, as well as the importance of story and dark humour in taking games forward as a medium. 

Game Developer's Playlist is an extension of a series we run on the site called Why I Love, in which developers explore their favorite games. You can find these articles here.

Title music by Julian Villareal.

[Please note: This episode was recorded a few months ago, hosted by our then-senior staff writer, Rebekah Valentine]

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The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team discuss the biggest stories of the past week from across the business of video games.

This week, Matt, Brendan, Marie and James elaborate on our recent stance concerning stories about blockchain and non-fungible tokens, and why GamesIndustry.biz will be more cautious about covering this going forward.

We discuss the potential benefits and the many, many downsides of this technology as it currently stands.

We also reflect of Techland's decision to include abusive tweets in a video update about Dying Light 2, and whether games companies should be doing more to discourage these attitudes and behaviours among their "devoted fans."

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz

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The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team discusses the biggest stories of the past week.

This week, we start with the recent wave of new indie publishers emerging, including new publishing arms for Sumo Group, Playtonic Games and Fundamentally Games.

We talk about the challenges new publishers face, whether the market is becoming overserved, and whether publishers need a distinct identity or speciality to succeed.

Then we expand on our recent 10 Years Ago This Month column, looking back at a period where the games industry was anxious about the rise of social, mobile and free-to-play games.

We reflect on the impact the growth of mobile games had on the industry and whether the fears and concerns expressed by veteran developers at GDC 2011 eventually came true.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team discuss the biggest stories from the past week in the business of video games.

This week, we start with EA's response to a FIFA Ultimate Team player that racially abused ex-footballer Ian Wright, blaming his in-game counterpart for losing a match. The player has been issued a lifetime ban, a response Wright commended.

We also explore Twitch's first transparency report and dive deeper into the missing numbers in order to illustrate the disparity between how the streaming site handles community infractions when compared to abuse, harassment or hateful conduct.

Finally, we discuss the most recent reports of a 4K-ready Nintendo Switch and why the platform holder needs to carefully consider its hardware strategy if it wishes to extend the Switch's lifecycle beyond that of its predecessors.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team discusses the biggest stories of the past week, starting with news of Sony revitalising PlayStation VR.

With a new headset now in development for PlayStation 5, we reflect on Sony's impact on the wider virtual reality landscape and its strategy with the original PlayStation VR over the past four years.

We also debate the importance of software and whether Sony's first-party offering can provide any system-selling experiences -- especially as the platform holder continues to close its most experimental studios -- and what the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller might add to the immersion of virtual reality.

After that, we turn to the 25th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, exploring its ongoing and cross-generational success as well as sharing our thoughts on the announcements from the recent Pokémon Presents broadcast.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team discusses the most controversial game announcement of the year so far and weigh up whether developers can handle a topic as sensitive as war.

Following our interview with the company behind upcoming shooter Six Days In Fallujah, we explore the reaction to the game's existence -- both in 2021 and back in 2009 when the title was dropped by its publisher -- and the mistakes it already seems to be making.

We also discuss whether Victura's stated intention is appropriate for a conflict like the Siege of Fallujah.

Towards the end of the episode, we shift towards the announcement of the most recent Nintendo Direct, the 35th anniversary of Zelda, and the strange disconnect between Skyward Sword's high review scores but low reputation among many series fans.

You can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team takes a deeper look at one of the biggest stories of the past week -- namely, Warner Bros securing a patent for Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system.

For this episode, we're joined by Kostya Lobov of law firm Harbottle & Lewis to look at the intricacies of patents and the implications for any other developers hoping to build games around a similar mechanic to the Nemesis system.

In case you missed the news, it was revealed last week that Warner Bros has finally secured a patent after repeated attempts to protect its method of creating a heirarchy for NPCs that changes based on player actions.

The move was widely criticised by developers, claiming it will stifle innovation in this space -- but is that the case? We discuss on this week's podcast.

If you'd like to find more about how developers can protect their intellectual property, check out our in-depth guide on the GamesIndustry.biz Academy.

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On our latest podcast, Matt, Brendan and James discuss two of the biggest games industry stories of the past two weeks.

First up, we discuss Embracer Group's acquisition of Gearbox Software -- a deal potentially worth close to $1.4 billion, but with some very notable caveats.

We use this as a jumping off point to explore Embracer's overall mergers and acquisitions strategy, and ponder the wider trends in the M&A space -- something further analysed in this article by GameDiscoverCo's Simon Carless.

In the second half, we talk about Google's decision to close its internal Stadia Games and Entertainment and the broader implications for the internet giant's cloud streaming games service.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz

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The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team looks optimistically forward and starts to ponder the future of video games when the COVID-19 pandemic eventually comes to an end.

Following on an editorial by our Head of B2B Chris Dring, James, Brendan, Marie and Chris discuss the implications of 2020's rapid growth in terms of new customers, and the perhaps inevitable industry contraction when those consumers drop their newfound hobby as life returns to normal (or at least closer to it).

We talk about the challenges Microsoft and Sony face in pushing their new consoles while still trying to engage the swathes of people who only purchased the old ones in the last nine months, as well as the pressure on Nintendo to continue Switch's incredible mometum.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The Five Games Of is a special series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast that explores the evolution of the video games business through the career of prominent developers, executives and more.

This time, we explore five games from the career of Jesper Kyd, one of the industry's most prolific composers.

We talk to Kyd about his start in the industry, working with a group of friends that went on to found a fairly well-known Danish studio, before looking at some of the biggest games he worked on. 

Naturally, this includes how he defined the sound of Assassin's Creed -- plus the evolution of Ezio's Theme, which has since become the most iconic cue in Ubisoft's biggest franchise.

Title music by Juilan Villareal.

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On this week's podcast, the GamesIndustry.biz editorial team takes a look at some of the biggest challenges facing indie developers.

Our discussion begins with the recent reveal of Moonrise Fund, which focuses on financing teams working on gameplay that hasn't been seen before. We recently spoke to the fund's creator Evva Karr about their ambitions for the project.

We then talk about the gaps in funding and even gaps in knowledge that form barriers to experimental games developers from bringing more unorthodox projects to market.

We also touch on the hurdles indies face when trying to market their game or secure press and media coverage ahead of release.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, GamesIndustry.biz team members Matt, Rebekah and James are joined by PCMag's Mike Williams to discuss the biggest news of the past week.

Following a slew of LucasFilm Games announcements -- including the revival of the brand, Bethesda's Indiana Jones game, and Ubisoft's open-world Star Wars project -- we discuss licensed games.

It wasn't so long ago that licensed games were often hastily-developed merchandise created to tie in with a film release or ensure a publisher got the most out of its licensing agreement. But in the wake of titles like Marvel's Spider-Man by Insomniac Games, it's easier to be optimistic about the aforementioned announcements.

We discuss our expectations for these games and more, as well as changing attitudes towards the use of blockbuster IP in video games from the perspectives of developers, publishers and rights holders.

For more news, analysis and insight, head over to www.gamesindustry.biz.

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In our first weekly episode of 2021, the GamesIndustry.biz team discuss the biggest news of the past week – and slightly further back.

Matt, Brendan, Rebekah, James and Chris unpack the implications and build-up to Nintendo's acquisition of Next Level Games, the team behind Switch hit Luigi's Mansion 3.

And in the first instalment of a new monthly discussion, we expand on the most recent 10 Years Ago column to look at how things have changed in the past decade.

This month, we look at the rise and fall of the last dedicated games handhelds: PlayStation Vita and 3DS, two devices launched as smartphone gaming began to take off. Both Sony and Nintendo handled this difficult situation differently, but what did the industry learn from their strategies?

As always, you can find more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. 

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In this special sponsored GamesIndustry.biz podcast, we speak with Facebook Audience Network’s Imran Khan to discuss mobile game monetisation methods and in-game advertising.

This week’s podcast discusses all forms of monetisation and provides ideas and guidance on how to maximise revenue for game developers. Khan will reveal why the games industry needs to look beyond in-app purchases as the de facto monetisation model for mobile games.

You can find more information on ad monetisation and how app bidding is transforming businesses here.

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This special series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast talks to developers about the titles that influenced their careers.

This time, we have Xalavier Nelson Jr., the creator of An Airport for Aliens Currently Run by Dogs as well as an award-nominated narrative mind behind Hypnospace Outlaw, Reigns: Beyond, Skatebird, and more.

Nelson Jr. is here to chat about The Evil Within 2, specifically its modular design. He describes the game as a "puzzle box" where pushing and prodding one element can impact the whole, and discusses its influence on his own thinking about game development and specifically his work on Dog Airport Game.

Game Developer's Playlist is an extension of a series we run on the site called Why I Love, in which developers explore their favorite games. You can find these articles here.

Title music by Julian Villareal.

The weekly news show will be back on Monday, and you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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In our last podcast of the year, the GamesIndustry.biz editorial team gather around the mics to share their favourite games of 2020.

Matt, Brendan, Rebekah, Marie and James each share some honourable mentions and key highlights before delving into to their pick for the best game that they've played this year.

Note the 'that they've played' caveat, as not all choices are in fact from 2020.

You'll be able to read more about our Games of the Year at GamesIndustry.biz throughout this week.

As always, you get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz

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On this special episode of the podcast, we look at the challenges journalists and the games media have faced in 2020.

For this discussion, we're joined by USGamer editor-in-chief Kat Bailey, VideoGamesChronicle editor-in-chief Andy Robinson, VG247 assistant editor Alex Donaldson, and Kotaku staff writer Ethan Gach.

Together, the panel reflects on the impact of event closures, the unorthodox build-up to the next-gen consoles, the lack of networking, limitations when interviewing developers or previewing games, and more.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matthew, Rebekah, and James are joined by Mike Williams to discuss the biggest stories of the week.

Following the revelation that BioWare general manager Casey Hudson and Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah are leaving the studio -- for the second time, in Hudson's case -- we discuss the impact this could have on the company.

The conversation expands into exploring the 'wilderness period' BioWare has been in for some years now, and comparing it with other studios that have lost key talent but retained high expectations from fans.

We also look at the value of the Dragon Age and Mass Effect IP, the increasing competition the developer faces compared to its heyday, and our hopes for the future of BioWare.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. 

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This special series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast talks to developers about the titles that influenced their careers.

This time, we have Fred Horgan, senior ideation designer at Bossa Studios, here to discuss how Sega's 2000 online console RPG shaped his understanding of social and cooperative gameplay.

Horgan talks about his experiences playing with friends, and how unique design elements of Phantasy Star Online inspired him to think differently about how players encounter one another in virtual spaces, and what kinds of challenges will encourage teamwork rather than competition.

Game Developer's Playlist is an extension of a series we run on the site called Why I Love, in which developers explore their favorite games. You can find these articles here.

Title music by Julian Villareal.

The weekly news show will be back on Monday, and you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, Brendan and James gather behind their respective mics to discuss the biggest stories of the week.

This week, we explore Square Enix's decision to make remote working permanent for more of its Japanese staff, and the implications this has for any couple that adopts such a model.

It's a topic our contributing editor Rob Fahey delved into with his latest column, and now the podcast explores the wider ramifications of going remote.

We discuss whether its viable, what it means for the future of offices, the benefits for both companies and their staff, and the challenges it creates.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, we have a special bumper-length podcast as the team takes a look back at the previous generation of consoles.

With Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 now on shelves around the world, we reflect on the seven years of games and innovations offered by their forebears.

Rather than just focusing on our favourite games (although we do discuss this as well), we take a broader approach by offering our takes on the most important and impactful games of the last generation.

We also share our biggest disappointments, from individual titles to key studios and even entire trends.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The Five Games Of is a special series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast which explores the evolution of the video games business through the career of prominent developers, executives and more.

This time, we explore five games from Mikael Kasurinen of Remedy Entertainment, who most recently served as game director for last year's acclaimed new IP Control.

In addition to this game, we talk about his work on Max Payne 2, Alan Wake, Quantum Break and the Battlefield 4 campaign.

The conversation touches on the expectations for sequels, the role of single-player in first-person shooters, experiments with the crossover between television and games, and the various attempts to explore an episodic structure for games.

Title music by Julian Villareal

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The latest episode of our podcast is available to download now, and somehow, we're not talking about next-gen consoles.

Instead, FIFA is on the mind, following yet another lawsuit filed complaining of Ultimate Team loot boxes, and news of a new FIFA spend tracking tool allowing players to limit how many matches they play or how much money they can spend in the game.

In response to that, Brendan has published an editorial exploring EA's refusal to admit its games dabble in gambling while it simultaneously struggles to make its game acceptable to potental regulators. It's this editorial that Brendan, Matt, Chris, and Rebekah unpack, alongside discussion of the FIFA franchise's steadily dwindling approval from critics and players alike.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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In this special bonus episode of The Game Developer's Playlist, we take a look at Hideo Kojima's final outing with Metal Gear Solid.

Brendan takes over hosting duties from Rebekah as he's joined by Jeffery Thompson Jr to talk about the mix of gritty stealth and goofy balloon extractions, with horror elements and more poignant messaging all woven into the mix.

Thompson Jr is one of the founder of Polish start-up Epoch Media, currently part of the ReactorX Polish accelerator program.

He shares the impact Metal Gear Sold 5: The Phantom Pain had on his career, as well as the inspiration he has drawn for upcoming steal action game Pensions.

Title music by Julian Villareal.

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Chris, Brendan and James are on hand to share their early impressions of the new consoles.

Having recieved a mix of PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S units, the team has had a couple of weeks to get to grips with them, so what do we think of the next generaiton?

We discuss the most interesting features, from both a user and business perspective, as well as touching on performance, visuals, loading times and more.

We also look at the new devices through the lens of each platform holder's strategy and how they set Sony and Microsoft up for the years to come.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This special series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast talks to developers about the titles that influenced their careers.

This time, we have Chandana 'Eka' Ekanayake, co-founder of Falcon Age studio Outerloop Games, here to discuss how 1995 biker adventure game Full Throttle inspired him to join the games industry..

Ekanayake discusses how the film-like elements of the game spurred his interest in joining in the industry, and the ways in which the game's pacing and visual techniques are still examples of how games embrace and iterate on storytelling techniques used in movies.

Game Developer's Playlist is an extension of a series we run on the site called Why I Love, in which developers explore their favorite games. You can find these articles here.

Title music by Julian Villareal.

The weekly news show will be back on Monday, and you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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On the latest GamesIndustry.biz Podcast, Rebekah and Marie are joined by USGamer's Mike Williams, as well as three special guests: freelance writer Aaron Lee, I Need Diverse Games founder Tanya DePass, and Melanin Gamers founder Annabel Ashalley-Anthony.

Mike, Aaron, Tanya, and Annabel discuss being Black in the games industry, from issues of representation in games themselves to representation in the workplace, and the barriers facing Black professionals who wish to both enter and thrive in games.

As a springboard for the discussion, the group referenced two recent articles: one on lifting the barriers faced by Black professionals in the games industry by Marie, and another specifically focused on representation in the UK games business by Aaron, both including interviews and insight from a number of Black professionals around the industry.

You can find Marie's article here: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-10-27-lifting-the-barriers-for-black-professionals-in-the-games-industry

And Aaron's here: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-10-22-we-need-a-real-shift-in-the-tide-black-professionals-talk-representation-in-the-uk-games-business

As always, you can find more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, three members of the team -- Matt, Marie, and Rebekah -- chat with Digital Foundry's John Linneman about the impending next generation of consoles, especially the Xbox Series X.

With just a few weeks remaining before the launch of both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, we reflect on the marketing and announcement cycles of both over the last year, as well as do a bit of deep-diving into what the hardware improvements of the Xbox Series X and S will mean for average users.

We also dip into pricing, both hardware and software, as well as the recent addition and subsequent removal of unskippable ads in NBA 2K21 and UFC 4.

One note: this episode was recorded on Friday, October 23, and in the episode we mention that Destruction All-Stars is a PlayStation 5 launch title. Shortly before we published the episode, Sony announced the game was being delayed to February, and thus is no longer a launch title.

As always, you can find more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The Five Games Of is a special spin-off series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast that charts the evolution of the industry through the careers and games of prominent developers and more.

This month's guest is Guha Bala, co-founder and president of Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit developer Velan Studios, perhaps best known for the work he and his team accomplished at Vicarious Visions -- another studio he co-founded.

Bala's career stretches back as far as 1996 point-and-click adventure Synnergist and cover a variety of often experimental play patterns, such as instrument-based rhythm action games and toys-to-life.

Join us as well look at the rise of fall of dedicated gaming handhelds, plastic guitars, toys-to-life, augmented reality and more.

The weekly news show will be back on Monday, and you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

Title music by Juilan Villareal.

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Matt, Brendan, Chris and James gather behind their mics to discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

Our main discussion for this episode is the partnership between Microsoft and GameStop, which offers the retailer a share of all digital revenues generated by users of Xbox Series consoles the retail chain has sold.

We debate whether this is a way for the platform holder to sustain a valuable retail partner or an attempt to seem charitable as it pushes its digital ecosystem.

Continuing the Xbox theme, we discuss the day one launch line-up for Series X and S, which features 31 titles but no next-gen exclusives.

As always, you can find more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, Brendan, Rebekah and James are on hand to discuss the biggest stories of the week -- or, in this instance, story.

We delve deeper into Brendan's extensive exposé on the toxic culture at Twitch, which extends across both the office and the site itself. 

The team explores a story that ranges from allegations of sexual assault and racism to defaction on the walls and a relaxed attitude to the Klu Klux Klan, as we debate how other companies can learn from Twitch's mistakes.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The Game Developers' Playlist is a special series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast in which we talk with developers about the titles that influenced their careers.

This time, we have Megan Fox -- founder of Skatebird developer Glass Bottom Games -- discussing the impact of Ultima 7, the 1992 systems-driven RPG.

Fox reflects on how the use of the game's systems opened up player freedom, and the evolution of similar mechanics in genres such as survival games.

The Game Developer's Playlist is an extension of a series we run on the site called Why I Love, in which developers explore their favourite games. 

Title music by Julian Villareal.

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Rebekah, Marie and James are on hand to discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

We start with the disappointing but perhaps inevitable news that -- despite promises of 'non-obligatory crunch' and multiple delays to the game - CD Projekt Red is forcing the Cyberpunk 2077 developers to work six-day weeks in the run-up to its November 19 launch.

Then we're joined by Eurogamer's Lottie Lynn to discuss the impact of changes Niantic made to Pokémon Go to account for the pandemic -- and how it will likely affect the game now many of these are becoming permanent.

Finally, we take a look at the early success of Chinese-developed free-to-play epic Genshim Impact, as well as sharing our initial impressions of the game widely described as a Breath of the Wild clone. 

As always, you can get more news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Rebekah, Brendan and Marie are on hand to discuss the biggest stories of the week -- which, of course, means Microsoft's acquistion of Bethesda parent ZeniMax Media.

The platform holder splashed $7.5 billion on the Fallout and Elder Scrolls publisher, but what wider implications does this deal have? We discuss the impact on Game Pass, on the Bethesda IP that struggled at retail but may now have renewed hope, how this affects Microsoft's ability to compete with Sony, and the consequences of industry consolidation.

Then we turn our attention to the surprise announcement (despite long-running rumours) of Amazon's Luna cloud gaming service. We weigh up whether Amazon can compete with Xbox, PlayStation and Google in the games streaming space, and question the lack of hype in the run-up to its unveiling.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The Five Games Of is a special spin-off series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast that charts the evolution of the industry through the careers and games of prominent developers and more.

This month's guest is Debbie Bestwick, CEO and owner of UK-based indie label Team17, whose first game was released in 1991.

On the show we discuss this and other formative titles, the changing opportunities for indie developers over the years, shifting attitudes at publishers, and how the very first Worms game was developed on a calculator.

The weekly news show will be back on Monday, and you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, Rebekah, Brendan and USGamer's Mike Williams discuss the biggest news of the past week.

We start with the PS5 launch plans and confusion over pre-orders, and move on to our wider thoughts about the next console generation.

With both platform holders offering digital-only consoles, what does this mean for the concept of ownership during the upcoming generation? And how does the rise of subscriptions factor into this?

Finally, we go round the table and share which next-gen machine most appeals to us.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, James, Brendan, Rebekah and Chris discuss the biggest news of the past week, which is, unsurprisingly, Xbox.

The platform holder announced its long-rumoured Xbox Series S model at $299, priced the Xbox Series X at $499, detailed the Xbox All Access payment plan for both models, gave a November 10 launch date, and revealed that the EA Play library will be added to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate later this year.

With all the pieces in place for the launch of Microsoft's fourth console generation, we discuss how the platform holder is trying to reshape the business, who the audience for the Series S might be, and whether Sony might respond to the EA Play deal, among other things.

And then we somehow masterfully manage to steer the last third of the episode to talking about Nintendo.

As always, you can get the latest news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The Game Developers' Playlist returns with a look at RPG Maker.

In this new monthly show, developers join us to discuss the games that influenced their careers.

This episode features Davionne Gooden, the indie developer behind the upcoming She Dreams Elsewhere, talking about how tinkering with RPG Maker motivated him to make a living making games.

The Game Developer's Playlist is an extension of a series we run on the site called Why I Love, in which developers explore their favourite games. You can find these articles here.

Title music by Julian Villareal.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, Brendan, James and USGamer's Mike Williams gather around their mics to discuss the biggest industry news of the past week.

Our first big discussion this week is Unity's long-awaited IPO. Having delved deeply into the filing, Brendan discovered some little known and surprising facts about the company behind the widely-used engine.

We discuss these revelations and ponder the future of Unity as it targets a potential growth area of £29 billion - but has its biggest competitor got there first?

Then we discuss the recent statement of support from 2K Games following the NBA's protest over the shooting of Jacob Blake. 

Major publishers already made similar statements and accompanying charity donations in the wake of George Floyd's murder earlier this year, but what more can the industry do to make an impact and drive positive change?

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This is the first episode in a new spin-off series of The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast, charting the evolution of the industry through the games and careers of prominent professionals.

In this monthly show, we'll be joined by developers, composers, writers, publishers and other members of the games industry to discuss five games they have worked on: their first, their last, and three of their choice.

Around each title, we'll be exploring how the business of video games has changed, the lessons that have been learned and areas that still need improvement.

To kick off this series, we're joined by indie developer Mike Bithell, best known for Thomas Was Alone and his most recent hit John Wick Hex.

Don't forget to download our weekly news discussion show every Monday, as well as our other spin-off The Games Developers' Playlist, in which game creators discuss the titles that had the biggest impact on them.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Brendan, Marie, Chris and James discuss the biggest stories of the past week, starting with the allegations of inaction against abuse at Rocksteady.

The Batman: Arkham Knight studio has been accused of doing little to nothing to address the issues with toxicity and harassment raised by female employees back in 2018.

It's worth noting the studio has since released an updated statement that was not available at the time of recording.

After this, we discuss the first PlayStation 5 ad and the challenges of promoting a physical next-generation experience when the pandemic has cut off all the usual event marketing opportunities.

And with Bossa adopting a hybrid remote-office model, we debate whether a mix of the two can really work for games teams going forward.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, Rebekah, Chris and James gather round their microphones to discuss the biggest news of the past week -- starting, of course, with Epic versus Apple and Google.

In case you missed the news, the Fortnite firm skillfully goaded Apple into removing the world's biggest game from its App Store then followed up with a pre-prepared lawsuit and a conveniently-ready-to-go parody video. 

Google later removed the game as well and found itself facing a similar lawsuit.

Rebekah has already discussed the messaging around this video in her opinion piece on why it was an irresponsible piece of corporate propaganda, but we delve deeper on the podcast into the many nuances around what Epic is attempting to do.

We discuss the way it is mobilising its audience -- and whether the audience has any place in this fight -- as well as the ongoing and related investigations into big tech firms both in Congress and the European Commission, and whether Epic is right in its motivations.

We also discuss the delay to Halo Infinite, and the impact this will have on the launch of Xbox Series X, the all-but-confirmed Xbox Series S, and Xbox Game Pass.

As always, you can get the latest news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Presenting the debut episode of a new spin-off from The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast: The Game Developer's Playlist

In this new monthly show, developers join us to discuss the games that influenced their careers.

Kicking off this series is Aaron Linde, lead narrative designer at Halo developer 343 Industries, who shares his love of SNES RPG Earthbound.

This podcast is an extension of a series we run on the site called Why I Love, in which developers explore their favourite games. You can find these articles here.

Title music by Julian Villareal.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James, Marie, Chris and USGamer's Mike Williams weigh in on the big debate of the week: does the games industry need E3?

Studies from both Fancensus and SuperData show that this summer's big game reveals didn't suffer from the absence of the annual showcase -- certainly not when it comes to the platform holders and big publishers.

But there are many other aspects of E3 that aren't as easily recreated online and benefits that might be overlooked when focused purely on data -- something Chris discussed in detail last week.

We weigh up all these points and more, before turning our attention to the ongoing scrutiny around Apple's 30% share of all App Store revenues.

With big tech firms facing antitrust enquiries on both sides of the Atlantic, we debate whether 30% is too high a payment and, building on Rob Fahey's latest column, what the alternative might be.

As always, you can get more news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James, Matt, Brendan, Rebekah and USGamer's Mike Williams reflect on the titles shown at this week's Xbox Games Showcase.

There was a diverse line-up of internally-developed titles, with the first look at Halo Infinite's gameplay and the long-awaited reveal of the Playground-developed Fable revival.

But the presentation did leave us with questions. After multiple instances of Xbox assuring that all title for Xbox Series X will run on Xbox One, the showcase announced several games that appear to be exclusive to the next-generation console (and PC, of course).

We delve into the possible reasons for the confusion in Xbox's communications, such as the practicalities of supporting a seven-year-old console while trying to sell the next one.

We also discuss the prominence of Game Pass throughout the presentation, and share our highlights from the line-up.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week, Rebekah, Matt, Brendan and James dive deeper into Rebekah's recent investigation into GlobalStep.

For those who haven't read the full article yet, we explore some of the accusations the UK-based QA company -- formerly known as Testology -- faces.

Claims include the "culling" and "ghosting" of staff, incorrect pay, and a stifling culture built on fear and zero-hour contracts.

We discuss the full findings of the investigation, as well as how such a culture has been sustained, and what other companies might learn from GlobalStep's mistakes.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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We have a double episode of the GamesIndustry.biz Podcast today, following developments over the weekend at Ubisoft as the publisher attempts to reign in its abuse problems. 

James. Matt and Haydn take a deep dive into the situation at Ubisoft, after several high-level staffers departed the company amid mounting abuse allegations. 

CEO Yves Guillemot, previously lauded for steering Ubisoft away from a hostile takeover by Vivendi, now finds himself heading a company which faces one of the largest abuse scandals in games industry history. 

After that Rebekah, Matt, Marie, and Mike tackle the wider issue of systemic abuse in the games industry. The discussion springboarded from an article by narrative designer Kim Belair, which addressed the need for a movement, rather than a moment, in the wake of these allegations. 

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Matt, Brendan, Chris and James gather around their respective mics to discuss the biggest industry stories of the past week.

Once again, we've refrained from commenting on the ongoing stories of abuse and harassment as we don't feel the podcast is the right forum for this discussion. But you can find our in-depth coverage through the links below.

• Ubisoft's Maxime Béland resigns amid abuse allegations
• Nintendo condemns abuse as allegations spread across Smash Bros. community
• Evo CEO dismissed, event cancelled amid accusations of misconduct and abuse
• Ubisoft to restructure its editorial team in wake of abuse allegations
• IGDA criticizes industry for ignoring harassment allegations
• Leaders, members, sponsors depart top WoW guild amid assault, abuse allegations
• EA urges employees to come forward with experiences of abuse

The main discussion this week follows 2K Games' revelation that NBA 2K21 will be priced at $69.99/£64.99 -- $10/£5 more than the current gen versions.

With IDG Consulting expecting more publishers to follow suit, we discuss the implications of a price hike for AAA games, whether it can be justified in a series so divisive over its use of microtransactions, and what this means for lesser-known and new IP trying to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with $70 established hits.

You can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz

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Matt, Brendan, Marie and Chris are on hand to discuss the biggest games industry topics of the week.

The most prominent subject has been the latest wave of allegations concerning abuse, bullying and harassment that have emerged across the industry. As the podcast is not the best forum for such a discussion, we instead direct you to our detailed coverage on the site:

• Industry's abuse problem brought into focus by latest wave of allegations
• Abuse in the industry isn't down to a few "bad apples" | Opinion
• Ubisoft and Insomniac face allegations over mistreatment of women
• Twitch will issue permanent suspensions to abusers on its platform
• Assassin's Creed Valhalla creative director leaves project
• Ubisoft reportedly places executives on leave amid abuse investigation

This episode focuses primarily on the subject of game length, following comments from former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden, who said he would "welcome the return of the 12 to 15 hour game."

This has reignited the ongoing debate about whether video games are too long, particularly in the AAA space. The team offers their thoughts on whether the biggest games are too big, and whether Layden is correct in calling this model "unsustainable."

We also discuss recent comments from Xbox boss Phil Spencer, who said the cellphone-style payment program All Access will be "critical" to selling Xbox Series X.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week on the podcast, Rebekah, Matt and Brendan are joined by new regular guest Mike Williams, of former GamesIndustry.biz and current USGamer fame. 

In lieu of an formal E3 event this year, Electronic Arts went ahead with its own branded online presser, EA Play. Depending on who you ask, the show was either an exciting glimpse into what the publisher has to offer in the coming years, or a lacklustre display will little of note. 

But the publisher, which has long held onto dreams of its own highly-lucrative and DRM-riddled digital storefront, announced it was backtracking on the idea and would return to Steam. Combined with a renewed focus on the Nintendo Switch, there’s a lot of change afoot at EA. 

Finally, The Last of Us Part may have been met with critical acclaim, but the discussion of the game was tainted somewhat by highly restricted review embargoes. 

Sony forced reviewers to remain tight-lipped on certain story elements which turned out to be a controversial move given the content and Sony’s marketing approach. 

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The GamesIndustry.biz team share their initial thoughts on Sony's long-awaited reveal of the PlayStation 5.

Recorded mere minutes after this week's showcase ended, we share our first impressions on the line-up, the overall presentation, and (of course) the final design of Sony's next-generation console.

Along the way, we discuss the diversity of the games' protagonists, question Sony's growth strategy for the next generation, and weigh up how the showcase stands compared to both Microsoft's previous effort and the E3 conferences missing from 2020. 

We also pick out favourite games from the line-up and debate whether we want the disc-based or digital-only edition of the console.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games from www.gamesindustry.biz.

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As you'll hear, there is no regular podcast this week. 

In light of the ongoing protests against racial injustice and police brutality, we recognise that our team is currently not diverse enough to contribute significantly to the discussions.

Instead, we're using this week to recommend other podcasts that have already commented on the deeper issues at hand, and that you might find worth listening to on an ongoing basis.

Please give a listen to:

Spawn On Me: A Lesson In Blackness by Khalief Adams, Parris Lilly, Blessing Adeoye Jr, Cameron Hawkins and streamers Pikachulita and Zombaekillz

(More from Khalief and Blessing on Kinda Funny Games Daily June 6, 2020)

Throwndown 287: We've Been Here by Torrence David, Andre Tipton and Richard Bailey Jr

Techish: #BlackLivesMatter, Profiting off Black Culture, Deleting Trumps Tweets, Space X Launch by Abadesi Osunsade and Michael Berhane

EXP Podcast 575: A Conversation Only Somewhat About Games by Scott Juster and Jorge Albor

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Matt, Brendan and James discuss the biggest stories of the past week, starting with speculation about the potential release window for GTA 6.

Rumours circulated that a spike in marketing commitments found within Take-Two's financial documentation placed the launch of GTA 6 around 2024 -- but Brendan's ready to shatter that hope.

Elaborating on his piece from last week, our North American editor explains why it's far more likely the that surge in marketing spend is more likely to coincide with a major push into sports games than a new Rockstar release.

We also unpack David Braben's recent comments about how physical games could more or less go away in three years' time. We look at where physical media stands in the general world of entertainment, and what the Frontier CEO really meant about its diminishing importance.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, James, Marie and Chris are on this week's podcast to discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

We start with comments from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who suggests tech and digital industries (including video games) are unlikely to adopt remote working on a permanent basis as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

On a similar note, we discuss commnets from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick on how lockdown measures have accelerated the trends towards digital distribution, and how games have an advantage over film, TV and other forms of entertainment when it comes to producing content remotely.

Finally, we look at the recent milestone announced for PlayStation Now: 2.2 million subscribers. A significant uptick over the past year, but still lagging behind Xbox Game Pass. What is it about Microsoft strategy that gives Game Pass the advantage and why, in the grand scheme of things, does it not currently matter to PlayStation?

As usual, you can get your daily dose of news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, Rebekah, Chris and James gather around their mics to discuss the biggest stories of the past week - primarily Epic Games.

The company debuted the first footage of Unreal Engine 5 with a technical demo that also gave us the first glimpse of gameplay on the Playstation 5.

Around this unveiling was also the news that the revenue limit at which Epic will claim royalties from Unreal-powered games has been raised to $1 million, and plans for the Epic Online Services SDK, which will enable other developers to implement cross-play into their titles.

Plus, Fortnite is heading to Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 at launch, so we discussed the potential for current multiplayer hits on the next generation of consoles.

We also touched upon the new PlayStation Studios branding and how the platform holder will create a stronger identity for its first-party titles.

You can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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The GamesIndustry.biz team offer their thoughts on last week's Xbox Series X showcase.

Recorded in the immediate aftermath of the presentation -- technically during some of the post-show interviews -- we offer our immediate reactions to the first glimpses of next-generation gameplay we saw. 'Glimpses' being the most appropriate word.

Both Xbox and Ubisoft have since admitted it may have oversold how much insight into upcoming Series X titles the special episode of Inside Xbox would offer. During our discussion, we delved a little deeper into what people expect when companies promise to show "gameplay."

We also weigh up the most promising titles in the round-up, discuss the impact this will have had on their publishers, ponder the next steps for Xbox -- beyond the planned first-party showcase in July -- and even how Sony might be able to improve on this with its first PlayStation 5 showcase.

As always, you can find more news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, Rebekah, Chris and James discuss the biggest news of the past week.

We begin by unpacking Xbox boss Phil Spencer's comments in a recent interview, in which he talked about how Microsoft was taking care to ensure it was "not exploiting" the COVID-19 pandemic and the "big flood" of new users it has brought to gaming.

Then, after a tangent about streaming services and the bizarre communications around the launch of Stadia's free version, we reflect on the ongoing success of Xbox Game Pass, which has already amassed more than 10 million subscribers.

Finally, following leaks around The Last of Us: Part 2, we talk about the challenge of avoiding and preventing spoilers, not only in games but in any form of entertainment.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Taking a break from our usual weekly news discussion, the GamesIndustry.biz team carefully place their crystal balls next to their microphones for an unusual E3 predictions podcast.

E3 is, of course, cancelled this year and the ongoing disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays for several high-profile games -- and that's not counting all the unannounced ones lurking behind the scenes.

Rumours suggest that game reveals and other news lined up for E3 will be spread out across the entire summer, with some big announcements expected in the next few weeks, so we figured we'd get in a little earlier with our predictions podcast and discuss what we expect -- or hope -- to see emerge over the summer.

As always, you can find more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Rebekah, Matt, Chris and Marie gather around their mics to discuss the biggest issues of the past week.

Firstly, we discuss the recent Kotaku report on Rockstar's attempts to change its internal crunch culture, with the prominent suggestion that the next Grand Theft Auto may be of a more moderate size but then expanded post-launch.

Then we reflect on the mixed initiatives the games industry has launched to help raise money towards COVID-19 relief efforts. We reiterate some of the points Chris made in his editorial about how the larger players can help smaller businesses that may struggle and praise PlayStation's $10m fund for indie developers.

Finally, we reflect on the ongoing success of remakes -- most recently, Final Fantasy 7 and Resident Evil 3. We also discuss whether there are any classic games left that could benefit from such treatment, and then suggest a few personal favourites we'd like to see.

As always, you can get your news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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In this special edition of the podcast, the GamesIndustry.biz team shares our own experience of remote working.

With so many countries around the world in varying stages of lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, almost the entire industry has shifted to a work-from-home model that is a far cry from the way it usually operates.

We've already run a series of articles offering advice on how to adjust to this -- which you can read through the links below -- but we wanted to contribute in our own way.

GamesIndustry.biz has always been run primarily from remote locations, as you might expect from a team distributed around the globe. While this means our experience may not be directly applicable to where everyone finds themselves now, there are tips, tricks and considerations we believe may be of value to those adjusting to working from home.

-- PREVIOUS ARTICLES --

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-03-30-how-to-become-a-remote-games-studio

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-03-12-making-remote-work-work

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-03-10-building-ori-and-the-will-of-the-wisps-with-80-people-working-from-home

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Matt, Brendan, Rebekah, Chris and James gather to discuss the latest news from the games industry - this week, focusing on the three platform holders.

First up, we discuss the delay to The Last Of Us: Part II and the various factors that would have influenced this. Sony will be contending not just with the distribution logistics of a disrupted world, but also the challenging of marketing a game about living in the aftermath of a devastating virus.

Next, we unpack Phil Spencer's comments about how Microsoft aims to avoid a staggered launch for Xbox Series X -- a conversation that inevitably leads to the likelihood of one or both next-generation consoles being delayed.

Finally, we touch on rumours that Nintendo will release a 35th anniversary Mario collection for Switch this Christmas, and how this might prove to be a strong counter to the launch of a new Xbox and PlayStation.

Throughout the episode, we also discuss how video games are helping people cope with isolation, social distancing and lockdown measures in certain countries.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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A bit of an unusual episode this week, taken from a livestreamed AMA-style session on YouTube.

With EGX Rezzed postponed due to the spread of COVID-19, GamesIndustry.biz and a number of our sister brands ran a three-day online conference, Rezzed Digital.

One of the sessions we hosted was a live edition of the podcast, where audience members were invited to ask us questions about the state of the games business in 2020 and beyond -- now presented in audio form.

The discussion covered the impact of coronavirus, virtual reality after Half-Life: Alyx, the importance of killer apps in a console's launch line-up and more.

(And for anyone curious about the interview with a new studio mentioned at the end, you can read the full article on Assassin's Creed actor Abubakar Salim's new venture Silver Rain Games here: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-03-27-from-character-to-creator-why-actor-abubakar-salim-is-trying-his-hand-at-development)

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz. 

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Rebekah, Matt, Brendan, Chris and Marie are all on hand this week to discuss the biggest news and events in the video games industry.

We kick off with reflection on the recent reveals for the technical specifications of Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. Rather than getting caught up in the discussion of which machine is more powerful -- and whether that makes it 'better' than its rival -- we take a look at how they were revealed.

Microsoft opted for a full breakdown via a third party, GamesIndustry.biz sister site Digital Foundry, while Sony delivered a lecture by its architect Mark Cerny that had been intended for GDC. We discuss who these reveals were aimed out, how effective they were, and what hints they gave as to the future of each console.

For the rest of the episode, we turn to GameStop's stance on helping to combat the spread of coronavirus: initially labelling itself as "essential retail" before later closing its stores (note: closures occured after the recording of this podcast).

This conversation takes us once again to the broader implications of coronavirus on the games industry, and particularly games retail. With the sector already under pressure from dwindling sales and the long wait for Xbox Series X and PS5, could months of shutdown be the final nail in the coffin for specialist games retail?

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James, Chris, Rebekah and Brendan join this week's podcast to discuss the biggest news from the games industry over the past seven days.

Naturally, we start with the cancellation of E3 -- making 2020 the first time in 25 years the games industry has not descended on California in the summer.

The team debates the impact this might have on the industry -- versus the loss of GDC, for example -- and how the cancellation may give the Entertainment Software Association the time to understand what the market really wants and needs from the future of E3.

We also react to the recent reports of more crunch at Naughty Dog on The Last of Us: Part II, lamenting once again how slowly development practices are changing and how the success of these tentpole titles dissuades more drastic measures.

Finally, we discuss the unexpected backlash surrounding the news that Horizon Zero Dawn is coming to PC, and suggest why Sony's decision may not be the cross-platform strategy some believe it to be.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James, Brendan, Marie and Haydn gather around their respective mics to discuss the biggest games industry news of the week.

The main topic is once again the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the consequences for games businesses around the globe. Another wave of events have been cancelled -- including one that pushes the event horizon beyond E3 -- and we have even seen the first hardware delay attributed to disrupted manufacturing.

We debate whether E3 2020 will survive the turmoil and run as planned in June, before taking a more in-depth look at the implications for day-to-day work processes. With Microsoft, Nintendo and Bungie among the many companies encouraging their staff to work at home, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick predicts this could shift more businesses to a remote or more flexible model. Could this be the silver lining of the coronavirus outbreak?

Finally, we reflect on the influence of  the world's best-selling home console, the PlayStation 2, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last week. We share our favourite titles and memories and discuss the influence Sony's device had on the industry going forwards.

As always, you can get your daily dose on news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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In an absolutely packed episode, the team discusses the biggest stories of the week -- starting, of course, with the postponement of GDC 2020.

Matt, Chris and James talk about the fallout of the event's cancellation, the tough decisions that would have been made behind the scenes, and how the organisers' optimistic plan for a summer event might manifest.

We also delve into the impact the event's cancellation will have had on those who invested heavily in this trip, from developers and publishers to speakers and job-seekers. The industry has rallied around its colleagues to provide a number of relief initiatives, but with the coronavirus continuing to spread around the globe, what other events may be affected?

We're then joined by Brendan to elaborate on his thoughts about TIGA's principles for protecting players and discuss what more trade bodies and the rest of the industry can do to demonstrate responsibility when it comes to the audience's finances and personal data.

Finally, Rebekah takes a few moments away from PAX East to tell us more about her recent trip to GameStop's concept stores in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the troubled retailer is testing new models to drive footfall and sales.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matthew, Brendan, Rebekah and James discuss the latest headlines, predominantly focusing on the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

With Sony and Facebook -- and, since recording, Kojima Productions -- withdrawing from GDC 2020 and the cancellation of Mobile World Congress, the consequences for the event space are perhaps the most obviously felt.

But there are also continuing reports of delays and disruptions to manufacturing, which could potentially see one or both next-generation consoles delayed into next year.

We discuss how the industry has been coping with these developments so far, and speculate as to how plans for launching PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X (among other things) might change as efforts to combat the virus continue.

We also discuss the recent news that Kickstarter has unionised, and reflect on what it took for this decision to be made so soon after the tech firm was accused of union busting.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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This week Haydn, Matt, Brendan, Chris, and Marie gather around the old GamesIndustry.biz Podcast campfire to discuss the keynote speech Tim Sweeney offered up at DICE recently. 

Although mainly focused on things like open platforms, the Epic Games CEO took a confusing and ill-advised detour into the world of politics and games. 

Crammed into the final few minutes of a half-hour speech, Sweeny made several conflicting and vague remarks, leaving the GamesIndustry.biz staff more than a little baffled. 

The other big news up for discussion is the state of E3, which many pundits believe is in an increasingly precarious position since Sony announced it would skip the conference for a second year running. 

This was compounded by the announcement that media personality Geoff Keiley will not produce the E3 Coliseum this year -- the first time he has not participated in E3 in 25 years. 

Finally, Disney said it was looking for developers to reimagine its IP for games, following the success of Marvel's Spider-Man and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

What iconic Disney properties would the staff like to see reimagined? You can download the podcast here to find out. 

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Haydn, Brendan and Chris discuss the biggest stories of the past week, starting with Microsoft's bold claims as to who its biggest competitors are.

Phil Spencer recently claimed Xbox's future will see it stand up against the likes of Amazon and Google, rather than its historical rival PlayStation. We unpack this statement, and take a closer look at Microsoft's position in the wider tech and games industry, as well as ponder the crossover between the platform holders and the infrastructure they use.

We also discuss the surprise departure of Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser and debate whether this will have as significant an impact on the company as some might think. On a similar note, we take a look at Rod Fergusson's departure from the Gears of War team and what his reputation as 'the fixer' might mean for Diablo 4.

Finally, we reflect on Cliff Bleszinski's suggestions for why LawBreakers failed and the role his politics played in the games design.

You can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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As we barrel through yet another financial season, Rebekah, Brendan, and Chris ask the all important question: do numbers matter?

With Microsoft posting a 21% decline in game revenue while celebrating an increase in subscriptions, the traditional metrics for success aren’t as straightforward as they used to be. 

Nintendo’s success last year comes with fewer caveats, however, hitting or exceeding all of its targets; Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield sold over 16 million units, while Luigi’s Mansion 3 sold over five million copies to become the fastest-selling game of the series. 

Finally, the recent release of Warcraft 3: Reforged has sparked a fun new mess of problems for Blizzard, after it was revealed the company holds total ownership of all custom games built with the system.

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James, Marie and Haydn are on hand to discuss the biggest topics of the past week, including crunch, class-action lawsuits and coins tossed to Witchers.

The big topic of the week is Doom Eternal executive producer Marty Stratton's comments that the team "crunched pretty hard" for most of 2019 and, despite the four-month delay, continued to do so in the run-up to the game's completion. 

We once again discuss the potentially harmful attitudes towards crunch across the industry and potential solutions by which studios can reduce the pressure on their staff.

Before that, we delve into the latest developments of the gender discrimination class-action lawsuit against Riot Games, and the allegations that the League of Legends developer may have been trying to minimise the amount it has to pay out (potentially up to $400 million).

We also discuss Paradox Interactive's trial for a subscription to Europa Universalis 4, addressing the ongoing criticism against the studio's DLC strategy, and speculate as to whether other games and franchises could benefit from such a model.

Finally, we touch on the success of Netflix's The Witcher series and weigh in contributing editor Rob Fahey's prediction that more streaming services will be tapping into games IP for future productions.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, Marie and James discuss the biggest topics of the week, starting with Microsoft's plans for Xbox Series X.

The platform holder recently revealed that the next-generation console will have no exclusive titles to begin with, instead allowing games to play across both Series X and the Xbox One family of devices. While this inevitably raised questions as to how the platform holder hopes to shift units without system-selling games, our contributing editor Rob Fahey observed that this is the next natural step in Microsoft's bid to create an 'evergreeen games platform.'

We discuss our own thoughts on Xbox's plans for the next generation, and the potential stumbling blocks the platform holder faces as it asks the entire games industry -- and the games-buying public -- to embrace a new business model.

Then we turn our attention to a little news of our own: the launch of the GamesIndustry.biz Academy. We share more about its origins, its goals and how you can get involved in expanding this ongoing and free resource. If you want to reach out, you can email [email protected].

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Rebekah, Chris and Brendan come together for a special edition of the podcast, discussing this week's biggest news: Sony will not be attending E3 for the second year in a row.

While the platform holder has other plans to get the PlayStation 5 in front of the masses ahead of its launch this Christmas, including attendance at "hundreds" of other consumers events throughout the year, we ponder some of the reasons the company has opted out of the industry's biggest annual showcase.

We also discuss why so many major publishers, such as EA, have diminished or removed their E3 presence over the past few years, and speculate as to how the ESA can transform the event in a way that wins them back.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Matt, Chris, Rebekah and James gather round their mics to discuss the biggest stories of the past week.

First up, we discuss the revived conversation around Battlestate Games' Escape From Tarkov and the developer's various excuses for the lack of playable women in the game. Six years on from the Assassin's Creed Unity debacle, we explore whether reasoning such as the "huge amount of work needed with animations" still stand up (if they ever did). 

Next, we continue the conversation about the rumoured Switch Pro and the ongoing rumours that Nintendo will release one this year. Our contributing editor Rob Fahey questions whether such a strategy would be prudent, and the rest of the team is somewhat divided.

Finally, we talk about Nintendo and Game Freak's plans to drop the traditional third/alternative/Ultra edition and follow up Sword & Shield with DLC that introduces brand new regions. We discuss why this is a step in the right direction for the future of the series, and try to understand why first content pack is modeled on the Isle of Man (of all places).

As usual, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Brendan, Rebekah, Chris and James kick off the year with a roundtable discussing our hopes, predictions, expectations and utter pipe dreams for the year ahead.

Following our roundup of analyst predictions for 2020, we offer our own thoughts on what might be the biggest topics and trends of the year -- almost inevitably centring around the arrival of new consoles next Christmas.

We also touch on what Nintendo's plans might be in a year were Sony and Microsoft will likely dominate much of the discussion, how Google Stadia can hope to improve its standing following a shaky launch, whether we'll seen any major developments in the VR space, and the potential (or perhaps lack thereof) for a new disruptive subscription service.

Woven into the conversation are thoughts on some of the biggest games already announced or teased for the year, the ones we're looking forward and how we believe the launch of the next generation might affect them.

As always you can find your daily dose of news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz

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For our final podcast of the year, the entire editorial team gathers around their microphones to discuss our favourite games of the year.

The selection varies greatly from first-party franchise extensions and AA blockbusters to Switch ports of classic RPGs and innovative indie games. (And some members of the team may have shoehorned in namedrops for multiple other picks as well).

Download now and listen to discover the games that made the biggest impact on our team this year, and be sure to keep your browsers pointed to GamesIndustry.biz all this week for full write-ups of our choices.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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It’s time for the GamesIndustry.biz Podcast, and this week James, Brendan, and Rebakah are on hand to discuss all the big news while still leaving plenty of room to reminisce about the GameCube. 

The industry is once again overflowing with complaints regarding toxic work environments, after former Razer employees accused CEO Min-Liang Tan of abusive behaviour. 

These allegations were joined by two court rulings which saw Quantic Dream pay a former employee €7,000 over an offensive photoshopped image, while Riot Games shelled out $10 million to former employees in gender a discrimination settlement. 

The Nintendo Switch is set to arrive in China tomorrow, around seven months after it was initially cleared for distribution by the Chinese government. 

Analysts predicted Nintendo was in for a rough ride this year following some optimistic sales projections. But far from the Switch losing steam, Nintendo has enjoyed a bumper 2019 thanks to its burgeoning (if a little troubled) mobile strategy, Detective Pikachu, and continued success of the Switch. 

Finally: Fewer, bigger, better -- the strategy many big game publishers talked about ten years ago, but where has the industry landed on this? Well, EA has gone from releasing 50 games in 2009 to just ten games this year. 

Publishers are releasing fewer games, but most of those which had the chop likely wouldn’t stick out, as it’s predominantly licensed and shovelware games, which have become increasingly expensive to make on console, finding a new home on mobile.

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The industry may grind to a halt during Thanksgiving week, but there’s still plenty going as we take a look at unconscious bias, diversity, and the perceived failings of virtual reality.  

Following last week's articles by Rebekah (Brass Lion Entertainment and the critical business of diversity) and Haydn (Overcoming unconscious bias in the games industry), we discuss both the barriers and benefits of inclusion. From hiring and industry blind spots, to why diversity is important and how to better foster it in the industry. 

Then Haydn bullies VR some more while everyone else discusses its limitations, failures, and potential after Xbox boss Phil Spencer said “nobody is asking for VR.” His sentiment was echoed by  Michal Nowakowski, CD Projekt's VP of business development, who said: "VR remains a... niche of the market -- like it's very, very small." 

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In this week’s bumper pack episode, Rebekah, Matt, and Haydn discuss the troubled Google Stadia launch, Half-Life: Alyx, and Pokémon. 

Google made big promises with the Stadia, and now it’s here the response has been notably muted. Plagued by fidelity and performance issues, the Stadia is struggling to fulfill its potential. As it stands, Stadia is widely considered the best game streaming platform available, but is still a long way from being complete. 

The long-awaited next entry to the critically-acclaimed Half-Life series was announced by Valve last week, but it’s not what fans were expecting. The VR exclusive title could be the “killer app” that virtual reality headset makers have been waiting for, or the high entry cost could just exclude many die-hard fans of the series. 

Finally, Nintendo and Game Freak are sitting pretty on a mountain of cash following the release of Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, despite community backlash over certain Pokémon which don’t appear in the game. 

Petitions to Donald Trump and a Twitter frenzy weren’t enough to impact the game’s sales, which has already become the Nintendo Switch’s fastest-selling title.

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A short but special episode in which James and Chris discuss the biggest announcements from Microsoft's event in London this week.

Recorded on the show floor itself, this discussion actually took place a few hours ahead of the reveals, but thanks to handy pre-brief notes we were able to weigh up the highlights.

Highlights included new IP from Rare and Obsidian, as well as a partnership and ambitious new protagonist from Dontnod Entertainment.

We also talk about the updates from Xbox's streaming service, codenamed Project xCloud, and how this offering plays into Microsoft's wider strategy with Xbox Game Pass.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Rebekah, Chris, Matthew and Brendan gather round their mics to discuss the biggest news and topics of the games industry.

This week, we start by considering the new appointments at Sony Interactive Entertainment and the insights from our recent interview with PlayStation boss Jim Ryan. Having previously discussed Sony's stategy to hold back from detailing the next generation, we now have a better understanding of what's happening behind the scenes.

Of course, the industry still has questions -- such as the future relationship between indie studios and PlayStation -- and we discuss how these might play out in the year to come.

Next, following Rob Fahey's column, we debate how Overwatch 2 may pave the way for a new type of sequel: one for a world dominated by games-as-a-service offerings where publishers will be reluctant to force the original's audience to upgrade.

Finally, the news that Ubisoft is publishing its last Wii game -- likely the console's last game ever -- is as good an opportunity to pay homage to Nintendo's groundbreaking console and our favourite titles.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James, Brendan and Rebekah discuss some of the biggest topics from the past week, starting with the controversy surrounding the latest Call of Duty.

For months, Infinity Ward and Activision have promised a gritty, realistic take on today's global conflicts, and yet critics report these attempts lack substance and are undermined somewhat by a game that remains focused on delivering high-octane setpieces around a super soldier fantasy.

Combine that with the controversy over its child soldier, waterboarding and history-altering Highway of Death sequences, and it's hard to know what Call of Duty really wants to be.

We also reflect on the recents financials for major publishers such as EA and Ubisoft, and how the shift in the AAA space continues towards live service titles, perhaps at the cost of single-player narrative experiences.

Finally, we cast our minds more than 30 years into the future and try to imagine what the recently trademarked PlayStation 10 might look like.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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In this brief podcast excursion Rebekah, Brendan, and Haydn unpick last week’s industry events, starting with the surprise delays from Naughty Dog and Ubisoft. 

Just over a month after announcing a release date, Naughty Dog revealed it would be pushing The Last of Us II back by around three months. Then, just a few days later, Ubisoft announced it was delaying Watch Dogs Legion, Gods & Monsters, Rainbow Six Quarantine to sometime between July 2020 and December 2020. 

Though the news hit Ubisoft hard, with its share price dropping 16% afterwards, the news opens up the debate about launch windows, and whether publishers are trying to find more space in the crowded market. 

Over at Google Stadia, there’s lots of questions around whether Google knows what it’s doing on the development side of things. The tech giant is making big promises around what Stadia can do, and has announced major in-house development operations, but whether it will deliver or struggle at the first hurdle like Amazon remains to be seen. One thing that’s for sure though, is most of the GamesIndustry.biz editorial team aren’t terribly convinced. 

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We have a special episode for you this week, recorded live from the show floor of EGX 2019. 

Matt, Chris and James took to the stage to answer a series of consumer questions with the aim of giving a little more insight into how the business of games works and the state of the industry today.

Topic covered include the decline of games retail, expectations for Google Stadia and streaming services, the future of free-to-play, Nintendo's mobile strategy, the notion of platform holders releasing games on each other's consoles, and whether we'll ever see a Half-Life 3. 

If you want to put face to voice, you can also check out the video version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRs5FMjZ1o4

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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James, Brendan, Rebekah and new starter Marie discuss the ongoing fallout of Blizzard's punishment for pro Hearthstone player Chung 'Blitzchung' Ng Wai.

We discuss the severity of the original punishment, the apparent lack of process through which this was reached, and how widespread the backlash has become.

We also touch on the implications for other publishers with direct ties to China and its companies, and consider the long-term impact for Blizzard, especially with Blizzcon around the corner.

(After recording, Blizzard released a statement responding to the controversy and we address this in a short update towards the start of the episode.)

Following this main topic, we look at Ubisoft's plans for various animated series based on its games -- going on a slight tangent about the difficulty in making a kids' TV show based on a mature and violent games brand.

Plus, we come up with our ideal video-games-to-TV adaptations -- and fail to top Rebekah's suggestion.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Haydn, Chris and Brendan are on hand to talk through some of the latest industry news, starting out with the messy story of Video Game Tax Relief in the UK.

It was revealed earlier last week that global games companies had claimed millions upon millions in tax relief, sparking a debate about whether the scheme was working as intended. 

Meanwhile, Monument Valley developer Ustwo Games faced accusations of union busting after it allegedly fired key programmer Austin Kelmore over his involvement in Game Workers Unite. 

Finally, Sony announced a considerable price cut for its game streaming service PlayStation Now, and we discuss Sony's tendency to merely dabble with new toys, rather than commit wholeheartedly like rival Microsoft. 

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Matt, Brendan, and Rebekah are on hand this week to discuss all the hottest industry haps, starting with the Oculus Quest. 

Accounting for 20% of Oculus' $100 million lifetime revenue from software in just a few short months, the Quest appears to be a resounding success. Things are looking more positive already though, after Oculus announced it was adding hand-tracking to the hardware as a free update. 

It's been a big week over at Nintedno's house too though, following the launch of the Switch Lite and Mario Kart World Tour, which seems to represent Nintendo at both its best and most clueless at the same time. 

Mario Kart World Tour has been a record-breaking mobile game for Nintendo in terms of downloads, but lots of questions still linger about whether its controversial monetisation model will find traction with players. 

Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch Lite launched to glowing reviews, only to be mired in the Joy-Con drift fiasco (unfortunately the podcast was recorded before that news broke and so isn't mentioned). Even so, there's still plenty of evidence to suggest that the 2019 holiday period for Nintendo is going to be a real success; Nintendo has both the cheapest and newest hardware on the market this Christmas, and a new Pokémon game arriving in November.

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James, Matt, Rebekah and Haydn are on hand to discuss the biggest news of the past week, starting with the future of E3.

The emergence of a pitch deck from the ESA gives some insight into the direction the trade body would like to take the industry's premier showcase, but mentions of celebrities, influencers and "queuetainment" are raising more than a few eyebrows.

Next, we weigh up the potential for Apple Arcade and whether it's the saviour of premium mobile games -- or their last chance. We also touch on indie and mobile pricing, and the value consumers place in ownership versus the convenience of subscription.

Finally, we discuss Sports Interactive's new eco-friendly packaging for Football Manager and the challenge from studio director's Miles Jacobson for all major entertainment firms -- including console platform holders -- to adopt a similar approach. 

(Interestingly, since we recorded, both PlayStation and Xbox have signed up to the United Nations' Playing For The Planet Alliance, but there's been no mention of ditching plastic boxes so far)

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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It's a smaller team this week, but no less meatier a discussion. Haydn and Brendan debate the potential fallout from the DCMS committee's recommendations that the UK government regulate loot boxes under gambling laws.

While these remain recommendations at the moment and are not enforceable laws, it's nonetheless a concerning direction for the ongoing debate around how the games industry monetises its audience. 

We discuss the various responses to the report, the implications such laws might have for the industry and how this latest news, when combined with headlines of crunch, abuse, mass layoffs and more, is not painting the best picture for the games industry.

As always, you can find more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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After a troubling week in the games industry following multiple abuse allegations, we’re back with a lighter episode of the GamesIndustry.biz Podcast. 

Haydn pulls hosting duty this week, joined by Brendan and Chris to discuss the absolute bumper pack of announcements from Nintendo’s latest Direct, and reminisce about the Dreamcast glory days. 

On Wednesday, Nintendo wheeled out a barrel-load of announcements that didn’t warrant much on their own, but combined shows the platform holder continuing to invest in varied experiences for Switch owners. 

We got classic Nintendo titles, more details on upcoming games, and the bizarre new Switch Hoop, which feels very on-brand for Nintendo. Whether it will be able to emulate the success of products like Wii Fit or Wii Sports remains to be seen, however. 

From there, things took a curious turn as Chris and Brendan regaled Haydn with all the antediluvian wonders of the Sega Dreamcast, which is today enjoying its 20th birthday in North America. Feel free to celebrate this momentous occasion however you please.

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Though marginally delayed thanks to the UK taking a day off on Monday, the GamesIndustry.biz Podcast has arrived. 

Gathering around the podcast campfire this week is Rebekah, Matt, Brendan, and Haydn who dive into all the industry happenings last week. 

Kicking off, a discussion about Game Informer editorial cuts in the wake of mass layoffs at parent company GameStop turns into a wider debate about what it takes for print media and online publishing to survive in 2019. 

Following that, the team get wrapped up discussing cloud gaming, streaming, and the news that both Sony and Microsoft have made similar noises around forgoing platform exclusivity with some of their first-party titles. 

Finally, we wrap things up with a chat about the inaugural Gamescom: Opening Night Live, what place it has in the industry, and where it sits in the debate surrounding publishers missing E3. 

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Rebekah, Matt, Chris and Haydn weigh in on one of the most divisive topics currently discussed across the industry: the relationships between politics and games.

As our contributing editor Rob Fahey recently wrote, simply asking 'Is you game political?' misses the nuances of a deeper conversation that could be had about the evolution of video games and their place in the world.

We explore those nuances, and ponder why this misinformed questions has become so prevalent when the media meets with AAA developers.

We also discuss Nintendo's mobile strategy and the platform holder's ongoing struggles to tame the most lucrative gaming sector -- particularly in the wake of Dr Mario World's slower-than-expected launch.

Finally, we use this as a starting point to share which Nintendo IP -- existing or invented by us -- that we'd like to see come to mobile.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Rebekah, Brendan, Chris and Haydn are on hand for this bumper episode to discuss a long, complicated and frustrating week in the games industry.

We start with the leak of thousands of journalists, analysts and content creators' personal information -- including phone numbers and postal addresses -- via E3 media lists. We discuss the ESA's handling of the situation, the impact it may have on next year's E3, and the potential for abuse against those affected.

From one form of abuse to another, we discuss the vitriol directed at the indie developers behind Ooblets, and how the team has addressed it. The cause of such anger? Why, Epic Games Store exclusivity of course.

Then we discuss the fallout from the weekend's two mass shooting in the US, which has somehow inevitably (but tenuously) been linked to video games. (To the point where, just hours after recording, it emerged that Walmart was pulling displays and demos for violent games from its stores)

Finally, Brendan and Rebekah recap the revelations of the FTC workshop on loot boxes, including news that Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft will now require all developers and publishers to declare their odds for loot drops.

All of this while watching our language. Mostly.

As always, you can get your daily dose of news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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Rebekah pulls hosting duties again, joined by Matt, Brendan and Haydn. 

This week we discuss the future of Improbable and SpatialOS after another game built using the tech gets cancelled. It's got potential, but developers are struggling to deliver. 

Also on the agenda is Rockstar's questionable tax returns, following a report from investigative think thank TaxWatch UK, which found the Grand Theft Auto V developer hasn't paid any corporation tax in ten years, while also claiming £42m in Video Game Tax Relief. 

Finally, what does the future hold for esports? The Fortnite World Cup showed there's plenty of money floating around, plenty of fans hungry for content, but how sustainable is it?

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Rebekah, Brendan, Chris and James are on hand to discuss some of the biggest industry stories of the week, starting with (yet again) crunch.

We reflect on Brendan's fascinating interview with creative director Lorne Lanning about the irony of Oddworld: a game that focuses on the exploitation of workers at a time when developers themselves were frequently exploited. 

Talking about what (if anything) has improved leads to another hard look at the impact of crunch on the industry, the potential solutions, and how it takes time for attitudes towards exploitative working practices -- even our own -- to change.

Then we talk about the comically perfect timing of Rockstar's big casino update for Grand Theft Auto Online, arriving amidst ongoing worldwide discussions about gambling and video games. Is this a sign of the developer's attitude towards such scrutiny, or has the conversation around monetisation models become too sensitive?

Finally, we touch on the Joy-Con drifting issues experienced by Switch owners, triggering a class action lawsuit against Nintendo. Oh, and it's very important that everyone know how much Brendan loves the GameCube controller.

As always, you can get your daily news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.

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As the old saying goes, “It’s Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday.” That, of course, can mean only one thing: the GamesIndustry.biz Podcast is here. 

This week Rebekah takes up hosting duties and is joined by Matt, Brendan, Haydn and, if you listen very closely, a selection of our assorted pets. 

We kick things off with the crumbling world of brick and mortar game stores, and what they can do to slow their seemingly inevitable decline. Following the example of UK retailer Game, struggling US giant GameStop revealed this week to revamp its stores with a newfound focus on esports. Whether either can establish the success of yesteryear is still in doubt though.