Since 2022, the industry has slid into chaos and disarray, with developers and players abandoned by platform holders and publishers. Now, we’ve reached a tipping point, and only we can rescue ourselves. We’ll discuss Microsoft’s self-inflicted destruction, Sony’s anti-preservation attacks, and the ESA’s assault on consumers. Also: Steam Machine pricing, Krafton cowed, Ubisoft makes a catastrophic leadership hire amidst layoffs, and Ryan Cohen’s toilet thoughts become part of government record.
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TIME STAMPS
- [00:04:22] – Industry Executives are Failing Us. Where Do We Go From Here? (Discussion)
- [00:33:24] – The ESA Makes Wild Statements It Tries to Walk Back
- [00:47:07] – Circana Report on U.S. Video Game Spending for May 2026
- [00:51:58] – Steam Machine Pricing Details
- [00:53:17] – Investment Interlude
- [01:01:14] – BREAKING NEWS (Microsoft)
- [01:08:11] – Quick Hits
- [01:12:14] – Labor Report
- [01:38:57] – FAFO
SOURCES
- Next 100 Days: Xbox Reset
- Xbox Is Planning To Shutter Peabody-Award-Winning South Of Midnight Studio Compulsion Games | Kotaku
- Xbox Game Studios boss Craig Duncan steps down | The Game Business
- Updated Xbox Console Prices | Xbox
- Bungie Layoffs | Bungie on Bluesky
- An Update from PlayStation Studios | PlayStation
- An update on PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita | PlayStation Blog
- Physical disc production ending in January 2028 for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles | PlayStation Blog
- The ESA quietly starts walking back baffling statements about private servers being ‘illegal’, though it’s still tutting and wagging its finger | PC Gamer
- Video Game History Foundation Statement on PlayStation Ending Physical Media | VGHF on Bluesky
- Steam Machine Pricing Details Emerge | Steam
INVESTMENT INTERLUDE
LABOR REPORT
- Ubisoft eliminates 93 roles in San Francisco | Game Developer
- Ubisoft Barcelona staff go on strike over 51 staff being laid off
- Ubisoft appoints former 2K and Amazon exec Christoph Hartmann to lead Creative House 2, overseeing Splinter Cell, The Division and Ghost Recon | GamesIndustry
- Weeks After Launching Luna Abyss, Its Entire Development Team At Kwalee Labs Has Been Laid Off | Game Informer
- Kabam consolidating LA office and making layoffs | Game Developer
- OtherSide Entertainment lays off 17 staff following game cancellation | Game Developer
- OtherSide Entertainment lays off 18 from Thick as Thieves team | Game Developer
- Enginefall developer Red Rover Interactive is making layoffs | Game Developer
- The Studio Behind A 2025 Xbox Showcase Surprise Just Went Bankrupt | Kotaku
- VR dev Combat Waffle Studios lays off staff | Game Developer
- Obsidian sued in class action lawsuit over alleged “systematic pattern of wage and hour violations” | GamesIndustry
- Magic: The Gathering Arena developers have successfully unionized | Game Developer