Episode 65: Lucasfilm Games’ Empire Returns Full Throttle… Indiana (News Show)
Virtual Economy
Lucasfilm Games is back, and we’re discussing what it all means. We also chat about GameStop’s holiday sales, December 2020 NPD, Steam’s year in review, Riot and Bungie going for the jugular in a lawsuit against a cheat app maker, the Moonrise Fund, 2020’s huge year of investment deals, and more Cyberpunk drama.
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Episode 64: Get Lost, 2020. Hello… Oh. Oh no. (News Show)
Virtual Economy
New year. New season. Virtual Economy is back with a news-filled show covering more Cyberpunk 2077, Raw Fury dropping lots of business documents, our trends predictions for the year, Tencent’s takeover of Leyou, Nintendo’s Next Level Games purchase, and more.
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Episode 63: CD Projekt burns bridges with partners, players, and its own future (News show)
Virtual Economy
CD Projekt has botched Cyberpunk’s launch to get it out the door in 2020. The follow-up has included empty refund promises and throwing platform partners under the bus. We discuss the financial reasons behind the rush and the impact the failures have had on the share price and company value.
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Episode 62: GameStop’s Earnings Saved By COVID Tax Credits (News show)
Virtual Economy
GameStop’s Earnings Saved By COVID Tax Credits (News Show): GameStop reports stronger earnings, but has a one-time tax credit to thank. We also discuss, Cyberpunk’s launch, Twitch’s new safety rules, Activision suing Netflix, and more. We’ll be listing timestamps for each topic moving forward for ease of listening! Enjoy!
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Episode 61: BioWare’s Leadership Shakeup and PAX’s Live Event Optimism (News show)
Virtual Economy
Event company ReedPop has announced ambitious dates for next year’s PAX shows. In an original report, we discuss exhibitor reactions to PAX Online, what went right and wrong, the price of exhibiting at PAX events, and what developers and publishers should consider when choosing which of the many events to allocate.
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Episode 60: Getting Accessibility Right (Launch Special with Steve Saylor)
Virtual Economy
Consultant, critic, and host Steve Saylor joins us to discuss the current state of accessibility in gaming and what the console launches got right (and wrong).
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Episode 59: Future Sight: Trends and learnings from the Xbox Series X|S and PS5 launches (Launch Special)
Virtual Economy
In this bonus episode, we discuss the emerging trends from the console launch and what we’re watching as the generation gets underway. How will the industry evolve around these consoles? Join us and find out what we’re paying attention to.
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Episode 58: Capcom leaks, Embracer’s chic, and Apple squeaks (News show)
Virtual Economy
This terribly named episode is full of Capcom’s ransomware calamity, Apple’s scheming, and Embracer Group’s acquisition spree. Also: Paradox earnings, EA’s Impact Report, another Joy-Con lawsuit, and So. Much. News.
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Episode 57: Next-Gen is Now - Xbox Series X and PS5 are HERE (Launch Special)
Virtual Economy
In our first episode looking at the impact of the new console launches, we welcome But Why Tho's Kate Sanchez and Matt Donahue to discuss the intersection of hardware and game pricing and inclusion. We also have news, including Take-Two’s acquisition of Codemasters and a big chat about the Twitch/DMCA mess.
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Episode 56: Take-Two Doesn’t Believe In Subscriptions (Earnings Show)
Virtual Economy
In our second big earnings show of the reporting period, we break down what went right at Nintendo, EA, and Take-Two, and what went… not so well at Sega and Square Enix. EA is about to make bank on its EA Play service thanks to its Game Pass partnership, while Take-Two continues to dismiss subscription as a viable piece of gaming’s future.
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