The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast

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. ► Newsletter sign-up - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. ► Newsletter sign-up - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. ► Newsletter sign-up - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices