Episode 36: Take-Two Defends Increased Game Pricing (Earnings Show)
Virtual Economy
It’s a whopper of an earnings show, as we dive deep into EA, Take-Two, Capcom, and Sony earnings. If you love numbers, prepare to fall in love with… more numbers. There are some trends emerging, as the industry reports big growth amid the pandemic. However, some CEOs are preparing for recession, while others aren’t willing to acknowledge massive job loss due to COVID-19.
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Episode 35: Roblox Is Making Kids Rich (News Show)
Virtual Economy
Roblox will pay $250 million to creators of user-generated content on its platform. Most of those user-developers are young people. We discuss Roblox’s business model, its huge growth, and its problems with protecting kids. Other topics include: Private Division’s new deals with three great indie studios, Rocket Leagues shift to F2P, Nexon OC’s closure, and a user question about NDAs.
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Episode 34: Beyond Good And Yves (Earnings Show)
Virtual Economy
It’s time for another earnings show! Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot faced a barrage of questions about the company’s culture of assault and abuse during the most recent earnings call. If you need to skip over this part of the show, our conversation about Ubisoft’s abusive work environment begins at 33:00 and ends at 49:00. We’re also looking at Microsoft’s strong quarter with gaming seeing big gains. We also chat about the Xbox Series X first party showcase.
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Episode 33: Philosophical Differences (News Show)
Virtual Economy
Microsoft has laid out its philosophy for the coming generation, and it starts with a foundation of inclusivity. As the company gears up for next gen, it has also made changes in its product line that set the stage for new hardware and service offerings. Other topics include a deep dive into the GDC State of the Industry survey and how developers are faring under quarantine, Ubisoft’s overhaul of Skull & Bones, the Atari VCS’ partnership with AirConsole, and Stadia’s continuing struggles.
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Episode 32: Diversity, Inclusion, and YOU! (with Kate Sanchez)
Virtual Economy
Diversity and inclusion expert Kate Sanchez joins us for a big conversation about creating more welcoming spaces in the corporate world and especially the game industry. Our chat covers D&I fundamentals, creating meaningful change inside huge companies, and a deep dive into Ubisoft as a case study.
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Episode 31: Another Chat About Broken Executive Compensation (News Show)
Virtual Economy
EA is the latest game publisher under fire for excessive executive equity bonuses. We dive into a watchdog investment group’s complaints. We also discuss Microsoft’s rules for selling next-gen upgrades and Smart Delivery, the Atari VCS’ hefty price tag, Sony’s $250m investment in Epic, Pokemon Go’s success during the quarantine, 11bit Publishing’s increased investments, and Manticore’s $1m pilot program for game creators.
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Episode 30: The First Rule of GameClub (with Dan Sherman)
Virtual Economy
GameClub CEO Dan Sherman joins us to discuss the mobile game subscription service’s commitment to paying devs, and what he learned as co-founder of Tilting Point and dir. of business partnerships for EA Partners.
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Episode 29: Game Prices on the Rise (News Show)
Virtual Economy
2K has signaled that game prices are going up in the new generation while also saying “no” to Smart Delivery and pricing its cross-gen version of NBA 2K21 at $100. Other topics include: Niantic’s team-up with Sleep No More creator Punchdrunk, the UN-release of Amazon Game Studio’s Crucible, an Xbox Game Pass success story, and more.
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Episode 28: An Overdue Conversation (News Show)
Virtual Economy
[CONTENT WARNING] This episode features discussion about the stories of sexual abuse and assault that have emerged in the game industry. Discussion begins at :30 and ends at 28:00. Other topics include Mixer’s sudden demise, the $1m Hobbit prototype (and why that isn’t quite as expensive as people may think), Epic Game Store’s growth, just what “Optimized for Xbox Series X” means, and why Microsoft is planning on an early Xbox Series X “All Access” purchase model.
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Episode 27: The Galaxy Fund (with Evva Karr)
Virtual Economy
It’s our first returning guest! Manda and Mike welcome GLITCH CEO Evva Karr back to the show to discuss the Galaxy Fund. This grant fund will first be received by 4 black women and a non-binary creator, each starting out on their next (or, in some cases, first) projects.
info_outline[CONTENT WARNING] This episode features discussion about the stories of sexual abuse and assault that have emerged in the game industry. Discussion begins at :30 and ends at 28:00. Other topics include Mixer’s sudden demise, the $1m Hobbit prototype (and why that isn’t quite as expensive as people may think), Epic Game Store’s growth, just what “Optimized for Xbox Series X” means, and why Microsoft is planning on an early Xbox Series X “All Access” purchase model.
- Ubisoft to investigate rampant sexual assault and harassment accusations: https://gamasutra.com/view/news/365520/Ubisoft_to_investigate_rampant_sexual_assault_and_harassment_accusations.php
- Internal Ubisoft Statement via Jason Schreier (Bloomberg): https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1276533429815910402?s=20
- Twitch partnerships director accused of sexual assault (Dexerto): https://www.dexerto.com/general/twitch-partnerships-director-accused-of-sexual-assault-1384801
- Just Add Monsters - JAM Sessions Ep. 8: The Game Industry's Journalism Problem (Feat.Nathalie Lawhead): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4-62in-JlY
- The Next Step For Mixer: https://blog.mixer.com/2020/06/22/the-next-step-for-mixer/
- Ready at Dawn acquired by Oculus/Facebook: https://www.oculus.com/blog/welcoming-ready-at-dawn-to-facebook/
- The Evolution of the Oculus Platform: https://www.oculus.com/blog/an-update-on-the-evolution-of-the-oculus-platform-/
- We Spent Over $1,000,000 Pitching a Video Game We Never Made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grwnHJykybM&feature=youtu.be
- Xbox Series X difference will be immersion more than visuals, Spencer says: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-06-24-xbox-series-x-difference-will-be-immersion-more-than-visuals-spencer-says
- Xbox Series X: Embrace the Full Power of the Console with Games Optimized for Xbox Series X (Xbox Wire): https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/06/25/xbox-series-x-full-power-of-console-games-optimized/
- Xbox head says console subscription model ‘will be critical to Series X launch and the next-gen’ (VGC): https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/xbox-head-says-console-subscription-model-will-be-critical-to-series-x-launch-and-the-next-gen/
- Steam introduces gamified reviews: https://twitter.com/simoncarless/status/1276199837461917696