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.
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!
There was a lot to learn from the 2022 Keigh3 / Not-E3 / Game Mess showcases, and we’ve got beefy trend analysis for you! Also: NPD for May 2022, Microsoft takes more union-positive steps, EA and Ubisoft slash executive compensation, Activision shareholders do lots wrong (but one thing right), and a double FAFO!
There’s a right way to respond to a civil liberties crisis. PlayStation boss Jim Ryan went a different way. Also: NPD for April 2022, Raven workers vote to unionize as Activision Blizzard draws the NLRB’s ire, Sony discrimination lawsuit is back in play, developers revive anticompetition suit against Valve, Saudi Arabia takes a bite of Nintendo, and more.
QA workers at Activision-owned Raven Software have been given the go-ahead from the NLRB to unionize. Also: Hardware supply continues to be challenging according to latest NPD report, Nintendo is facing its own labor issues, and Sony scores a partial victory in court.