Wizards of the Coast squandered goodwill to find itself right back where it started. Also: Earnings season has begun, the GDC State of the Industry report shows developers put the smackdown on Web3, NPD for December shows a bit of lift, and (as we grimly expected) we’re in the layoff bad times.
We’re back for Season 4! Good thing we’re not on HBO Max, amirite? The ghosts of Ubisoft’s failure to care for its employees are now haunting its financial performance. Also: Let’s talk about D&D and Hasbro’s huge, shortsighted missteps with the OGL, Epic has been slapped with a fine over Fortnite, Zenimax QA workers unionize, while Activision Blizzard moves to make things hard for workers at recently acquired Proletariat.
2022’s Biggest Trends and Where We’re Heading in 2023
- January 4, 2023
- Tagged as: Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Inflation, Labor, Microsoft, Nintendo, Proletariat, Steam, Trends, Zenimax
With 2022 behind us, it’s time for our annual look back and look ahead at the biggest trends shaping the video game industry. While we might have new jobs, Virtual Economy and our trends analysis aren’t going anywhere. So sit back, grab a cup of your favorite holiday beverage, and join us for our annual review!
GameStop has more than a little red on it, with losses continuing to mount on a crypto deal gone bust. Also: Microsoft makes nice with Nintendo (again) to pressure Sony, layoff continue to plague the industry, Zenimax QA workers on the path to unionization, and a fresh FAFO. Oh… and we have a tiny, little announcement.
A NetEase exec has pulled no punches after the Chinese giant’s Blizzard relationship hits the skids. Also: NPD spending report for October 2022, Embracer group earnings and reorganization, more on Microsoft’s plans to acquire Activision, new studio announcements, and more!
We’re SO close to the end of earnings season. This week: Square Enix, Nintendo, Take-Two, Unity (and a discussion about that brutal Bloomberg expose about CEO John Riccitiello). Also: Strange happenings at Studio ZA/UM, Remedy details Control 2 publishing deal, the EU gets prickly about Microsoft’s proposed Activision acquisition, and more.
With Microsoft and Sony falling short on subscriptions, is our future still an all-you-can-eat buffet? Also: Earnings for Microsoft, Sony, Capcom, Paradox, Remedy, and Sega; Embracer shutters recently acquired and rebranded Studio Onoma, and Marvel Snaps up huge mobile revenue.
After two years, it seems like new-generation console supply is starting to meet demand. We discuss in our coverage of the September NPD report. Also: the latest Activision Blizzard shenanigans (including two big Ls for the publisher), more on the Bayonetta 3 story, and more.
Bayonetta voice actor Helenna Taylor shared troubling details of her treatment during negotiations. We discuss voice acting rates and what the $4,000 offer means for SAG-AFTRA union members. Also: Microsoft and Sony continue their war in the UK over the Activision acquisition, more troubling layoffs for games media, and Meta acquires a trio of studios while announcing absurd pricing for its next headset.
E3 lives, Stadia dies, and Twitch continues to make bad moves that alienate its community. Also: Saudi Arabia and Tencent look to step up investments, and a beefy labor report.