Episodes

4d ago

It is our last News and Analysis Show of 2025! This week, we dive into the big stories of the moment, we reveal who REALLY won The Game Awards 2025, and we look back at the year that was with Newzoo’s director of market intelligence Emmanuel Rosier. Plus, why the whole industry needs to be wary of Rockstar's on-going union row, and why Netflix and Warner Bros might be a good fit when it comes to video games after all. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

4d ago

In a bleak month for video game consoles, a surprising new competitor emerged in the form of Nex Playground. The sold-out family game console is the spiritual successor to Wii, and the company behind it has huge ambitions. In this episode of The Game Business Show, Chris speaks to Nex CEO David Lee to find out the story behind the platform, and what comes next. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

6d ago

In today's edition of The Game Business Show, Chris sits down with Bethesda's creative director and executive producer Todd Howard ahead of the release of the new TV show. Along with Samsung's head of gaming Kevin Beatty, the three discuss the ways in which Bethesda are looking to drive interest in the video games by capitalising on the TV show's immense popularity. They also discuss streaming, the important of games people being involved in the TV production, and keeping Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Starfield fans happy. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Dec 12

In today’s edition of The Game Business Show, we speak with Day 4 Night, the studio behind the upcoming Bradley The Badger, which received its debut at The Game Awards. The studio was formed by Davide Soliani (Mario + Rabbids) and Christian Cantamessa (Red Dead Redemption), and was one of the most distinctive games on show. It’s also a game that has received big investment from the likes of 1Up Ventures and Krafton. We spoke to Christian and Davide about securing funding during a challenging time for games, the importance of doing something a bit crazy, and trying to bring satire to the game space. Note: This week’s episode suffers from some audio issues, particularly in the second half. We apologise for the sound, and if you’d rather read the interview, you can at www.thegamebusiness.com . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Dec 9

Hello! This week is our The Game Awards special, featuring TGA host, executive producer and CEO Geoff Keighley (who, yes, also happens to be the co-founder of The Game Business). In this edition, Geoff discusses what goes into building the Awards, reaching an even wider audience, the changing way games are announced, and much more. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Dec 4

On this week’s The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by Andy Robinson, the founder and editor of Video Games Chronicle . Together, we chat about the latest industry stories, the growing popularity of old games, plus the latest data coming out of the Asia and MENA game markets. But best of all, they're joined by Dr David Doak and Steve Ellis, two of the masterminds behind GoldenEye, Perfect Dark and TimeSplitters. Doak and Ellis join the Show to discuss their new rogue-like Scrabble game, Beyond Words. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Dec 2

In this edition of The Game Business Show, Chris speaks to Owen Mahoney, the former CEO of Nexon, to discuss what the industry can learn from Arc Raiders developer Embark, the studio he acquired during his ten years at the publisher. We also chat about how AI might triple the size of the video game market, the importance of balancing art and business, the structural problems facing AAA studios, the VC funding challenge, when to be patient and when to give up, and a whole lot more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Nov 25

In today's episode of The Game Business Show, we speak to the Tekken development team including executive game director Katsuhiro Harada, chief producer and game director Kouhei Ikelda and producer Michael Murray. The trio discuss rising video game budgets, the importance of live events, potential new revenue streams and what goes in to creating a new Tekken character. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Nov 20

On Today's episode, Chris is joined by YouTuber and media entrepreneur Ralph Panebianco (or Skill Up as he’s also known). The two chat about the Unity/Epic partnership, the on-going row between Rockstar and a UK workers union, the success of the ROG Xbox Ally X, the F1 franchise taking a year off (sort-of) and Ralph's new media website This Week In Videogames. And our big topic is about the shooter genre. Specifically, the challenges faced by Call of Duty and the early success of Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders, with exclusive data supplied by Ampere. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Nov 18

In this week's edition of The Game Business Show, we secure a very rare interview with Bandai Namco Entertainment CEO and president Nao Udagawa. During the chat, We ask Udagawa-san about the firm's strong relationship with FromSoftware, the rise of Japanese-made games, the desire to grow its own IP, plus movies, merchandise, mobile and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Nov 13

Hello and welcome to this week’s News edition of The Game Business. On the Show today, we are joined by Shams Jorjani, the CEO of Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead. Shams and I chat about the Helldivers 2 launch on Xbox, before diving into some big stories, including the delay to GTA 6, the layoffs at Square Enix, the NetEase-backed studio closures, and the debate triggered by a Eurogamer review, which marked down Arc Raiders for its use of AI voice generation. Then we tackle the big breaking story, the return of the Steam Machine (plus Valve’s new VR headset), and what it might mean for the console space. Meanwhile, in today’s articles (below), you can read about Sham’s experience of launching Helldivers 2 on Xbox, plus my own take on the Steam Machine, and what it might mean for the market. Enjoy! Valve’s Steam Machine is a threat to PlayStation and Xbox I can’t believe it’s been ten years since the last time since we all got over-excited about Valve entering the console space. The 2015 Steam Machines (and Steam Link) were Valve’s attempts at taking PC gaming into the living room. It failed. We estimate somewhere between 300,000 – 400,000 Steam Machine units were sold worldwide in three years. Consoles are designed to be simple. When you buy a game, you know it will work and it has been optimised for the machine you own. There’s not a plethora of different configurations to worry about. The 2015-era Steam Machines didn’t deliver on this. They neither had the flexibility of a PC, or the simplicity of a console. Yesterday, the Steam Machine made a comeback in the form of a cube-shaped device that has six times the horsepower of the Steam Deck. It comes with a new Steam controller, and will be available next year. It currently doesn’t have a price. So, why will this time be any different? Well, ten years is a lifetime in gaming terms, and Valve has taken some lessons from its previous attempts. The original Steam Machines were all made by partner manufacturers and there were multiple devices to choose from. This time, it’s just the single proposition and it’s been built internally by Valve. It’s a far clearer and cleaner offering that ties into the modest success it’s had with the Steam Deck handheld. More significantly, PC gaming has exploded in the ten years since the original Steam Machines. Analyst Matthew Ball points out that Steam players own $90 billion worth of games (or entitlements) today, while in 2015 it was a tenth of that. Traditional console games are also common on Steam now, and even first-party Xbox and PlayStation software is available on the platform. Put simply, the execution appears to be better, and PC gaming is dominant today. Nevertheless, I can’t help but see this Steam Machine as an enthusiast product that appeals to a small, albeit lucrative, group of players. The Game Business is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. From my view, there are two main potential audiences for the Steam Machine. The first are existing PC/Steam users that want an effective way to take their PC gaming into the living room. It’s a similar audience to what the Steam Deck has been targeting, which are gamers looking for a way to continue playing Steam away from the desktop. This is a pretty high-end customer; someone who can justify buying a second gaming PC for use in a different scenario. As a point of comparison, Steam Deck has sold between four and five million units, according to various analysts. It’s a small audience but a significant one, because these players are often the most engaged users and therefore the highest spenders. The second potential audience for the Steam Machine are console players that are interested in PC games, but have been put off by the complexity of it all. These people certainly exist, but it’s hard to know how large that group might be. For all its comparative simplicity, Steam Deck hasn’t unlocked many new customers for Steam (at least according to documents shared with me last year, which revealed that over 90% of Steam Deck owners are existing Steam players). And if Valve wants its Steam Machine to expand its audience significantly, it’ll need an attractive price point, strong marketing, and wider retail distribution than just its own store. This is all very costly. Should PlayStation and Xbox be worried? If this is just an extension of PC gaming into a different space, is it really competition for PlayStation and Xbox? Well, yes. Even if the Steam Machine only speaks to a small group of existing Steam customers, we can make some assumptions about who they are. It’s likely these are gamers that own multiple devices, including PS5 and Xbox machines. It’s likely they game a lot and spend a lot of money on their hobby. And if they were to pick up a Steam Machine, we might expect these high valued customers to spend more of their time, and by extension money, within the Steam ecosystem, as opposed to Sony or Microsoft’s (or even Nintendo’s). Xbox will also be smarting from this reveal. The firm has made no secret of its future hardware plans. Last month it released the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X, two PC handhelds it developed in partnership with Asus that directly competes with the Steam Deck. And that approach is being adopted for the next Xbox console(s), too. Which means the next Xbox will be a gaming PC that sits under the TV, just like the Steam Machine. Now hardware is just one part of Microsoft’s strategy, and a successful Steam Machine would help the company reach more players, both with its games and its Game Pass subscription service. To quote its current marketing campaign, the Steam Machine ‘is an Xbox’. But, of course, Xbox would rather people were buying their hardware and purchasing Call of Duty through them rather than Steam, where they’re obliged to give Valve a 30% cut of the revenue. Valve getting out ahead of Xbox and offering their own PC-based console-like experience will be frustrating to the Microsoft team. We had Shams Jorjani, the CEO of Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead, on The Game Business Show this week, and he said: “Can you imagine being charged of Xbox? They’re being attacked from every angle.” It can certainly feel like that. But Xbox is not some minnow. It’s the publisher of some of the biggest video games on the planet. If building up a platform business, whether that’s a console or a PC platform, was that important, it has the software available to help it achieve that. The fact that it continues to release its games on rival devices and stores speaks to what the company’s priorities truly are. My instinct at this stage is that this new Steam Machine will avoid the fate of its predecessors. And that it will ultimately attract an influential but niche audience. It will be competition to PlayStation and Xbox, but neither Sony or Microsoft will be losing too much sleep over it. Yet it could be more. And that’s no bad thing . In my interview with former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé this week , we discussed the fact that Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo were no-longer in direct competition, and how that might negatively impact innovation in the console space. That’s a concern, especially for a sector that is showing signs of user decline. The arrival of Steam in the living room might just give the console market the excitement and inspiration it needs. Launching Helldivers 2 on Xbox has been “a positive story across the board” This week on The Game Business Show , we were joined by Shams Jorjani, the CEO of Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead. Helldivers 2 had a spectacular launch in 2024, followed by a sharp decline, and then a significant comeback. It was a story we covered when Jorjani joined us on the Show back in April. Since that interview, Helldivers 2 has made its way to Xbox, which was a big industry story because Helldivers 2 is a game published and funded by Xbox’s main rival: PlayStation. Jorjani admits he was surprised that Sony requested an Xbox version. “But I’m super happy,” he told us. “Ultimately, it’s their strategy, it’s their thing. We’re just along for the ride and excited to be part of it. It’s always fun to be part of gaming history.” “It’s always fun to be part of gaming history.” Jorjani stressed he isn’t privy to Sony’s multiplatform strategy, or what this move might mean (or not mean) for the future. Only that Xbox players had been “clamoring” for Helldivers 2, and that coinciding the launch with Halo content in the game proved to be a winning formula. “It turns out if you give the players what they want, they’ll be happy,” he said. He added: “It was a good driver and it was well received. It’s been interesting. We’ve been so focused on trying to level up quickly and becoming good at the live service shtick, which is new for us, that we forgot that we’ll have a ton of new players coming in that’ll have so much Helldivers to enjoy from the beginning. “The magical part of it is that… sometimes in online games we see some toxicity in the community, where people are not helpful. But this was the opposite. The narrative thing of Halo’s Master Chief [in Helldivers 2] is he’s this mythical figure, because he comes in and just helps out regular soldiers. The same thing happened organically in the community with other veteran Helldivers players helping new Xbox joiners. It was a positive story almost across the board.” Jorjani couldn’t share numbers, but the latest Newzoo estimates suggests that over two million Xbox players joined the Helldivers universe in September. Of course, Helldivers 2 is an on-going story that is somewhat shaped by the players. And as the game had been available for 18 months before its release on Xbox, there are story moments that Xbox players will have missed out on. “If you were at the planet of Malevelon Creek on March 24… that’s etched into people’s memories. So, people come in three, four months after these historical events and they hear about them and they’re referenced in Reddit threads and places like that. And people are like, ‘I don’t know what it is and I’m too afraid to ask: what is Malevolent Creek?’ And then somebody’s like, ‘sit down by the fire son. I’m going to tell you what actually happened’. Then it turns out it’s people’s own personal Vietnams or whatever. “We’ve had a number of these historical moments in Helldivers. And the Xbox players that are coming in… they’ve missed some of these, but they’re creating new ones together.” Check out our full chat with Shams Jorjani in the episode at the top of the page. Meanwhile… * As part of Valve’s latest hardware reveal is Steam Frame, a new streaming-first VR headset akin to the Meta Quest. It’s a lightweight device that works with Steam and comes with new controllers. Players can play games without the need for a second PC. Pricing and release details are unknown. * A Eurogamer review that marked down Arc Raiders for its use of AI voice generation has become a hotly discussed topic online. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said wrote on X: “Political opinions should go into op eds folks.” Myself and Shams Jorjani discuss the topic on today’s episode of the Show. * Guild Wars and Lineage developer NCSoft is working on an MMORPG based on Sony’s Horizon franchise called Horizon: Steel Frontiers. The game is being made in collaboration with Horizon creators Guerrilla Games. It was announced at G-Star 2025 and is coming to mobile and PC (no PlayStation version was announced). * After a summer of experimentation, Jagex will remove its main ‘Treasure Hunter’ monetisation mechanic from RuneScape in January next year. The mechanic was introduced in 2014, and a recent player survey revealed that lapsed RuneScape players might return if it was removed. CEO Jon Bellamy told us that Jagex is prepared to take a financial hit to protect the long-term future of the game. * Video game publishers Outright Games and Gamemill, technology firm Coherence, and developer Auroch Digital have come together under the Roundtable Interactive Group. RIG is led by CEO Robin Flodin, and has been backed by investor EMK Capital. That’s it for today’s edition of The Game Business. We’ll be back tomorrow with the European charts on TheGameBusiness.com. Our next video for paid subscribers is on Monday in the form of The Game Business Micro. Whereas our next full free edition is Tuesday, where we interview Bandai Namco Entertainment CEO Nao Udagawa. So lots to come. Until all that, thank you for reading! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Nov 11

Today on The Game Business Show, Chris talks to industry legend and former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime. The two discuss the Nintendo Switch 2, the state of the console industry, leadership, the future of games and a whole lot more. Check it out. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Nov 6

In today's episode of The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by video game political journalist George Osborn (Editor of Video Game Industry Memo), where they discuss the rise of global Governments utilising video games to influence the population. The duo also chat Nintendo financials, Amazon backing away from MMOs and the rise of remakes and remasters. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Nov 4

In this edition of The Game Business Show, we chat with Obsidian's Marcus Morgan and Justin Britch to discuss the studio's impressive output, its iterative, RPG-like approach to development and how it's managed to launch three games (Avowed, Grounded 2 and The Outer Worlds 2) in one year. We also find out how the studio hopes to keep staff happy so they stay for 20 years or more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Oct 28

In this week's edition of The Game Business Show, we're joined by Embark CEO Patrick Soderlund. The former EA boss is launching a new shooter IP this week called Arc Raiders, and despite huge competition from Battlefield and Call of Duty, early signs are very, very positive that it's going to enjoy an impressive launch. In this chat, Soderlund talks about how Arc Raiders has managed to cut through, what the team learned from their last game (2023's The Finals), and how they're trying to make games 100X faster than anyone else. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Oct 23

In today's bumper edition of The Game Business Show, we are joined by Circana game boss Mat Piscatella, who gives us his take on a better-than-expected year for video game sales in the US. Plus, we interview GDC chief Mark DeLoura, where we discussed some of the big changes taking place at the conference this year. We also spoke about the challenges of hosting the event in the US, and how he felt about big companies skipping GDC this past year. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Oct 21

In today’s edition of The Game Business Show, Chris speaks to Nicolas Doucet, the studio head of Astro Bot developer Team Asobi. The studio is known for its close involvement in the creation of PlayStation consoles, so Chris asks Nicolas for his views on the role of consoles, and what makes PS5 different to what has come before. The two also chat about Team Asobi’s skill at making incredible games quickly, and Doucet’s personal history with building games for family audiences. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Oct 16

In this episode, Chris Dring and MobileGamer.biz editor Neil Long look at Nintendo’s return to mobile games, with some exclusive data on how the company has performed in this space so far. The two also dive into the recent challenges at Build A Rocket Boy, Remedy’s profit warning and Supercell’s concerns about potential EU regulation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Oct 14

In today's The Game Business Show, we chat with the leaders of GOG (formerly Good Old Games) to discuss the retro games scene, the increasing competition, the problems it's faced with its Preservation Program, the ageing gaming audience and why players crave the OG versions of classic titles. Enjoy. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Oct 9

In this week's edition of The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by two guest hosts: Lisa Cosmas Hanson (President and CEO of Niko Partners) and Daniel Ahmad (director of research and insights at Niko Partners), who both share an abundance of data and insights into what is really going on in the Chinese video game market. The three also chat about what former FTC Chair Lina Khan had to say about Xbox, the layoffs at Funcom, and Ubisoft’s new Saudi Arabian-backed Assassin’s Creed DLC. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Oct 7

In this week’s special edition of The Game Business Show, we speak to some of the leaders behind the launch of PlayStation 1 in Europe, including former bosses Chris Deering and Jim Ryan, developers Martin Alltimes and Juan Montes, PR and marketing veterans Glen O’Connell, Alan Welsman and Geoff Glendenning, and Namco’s Jackie Plumeridge. Listeners can receive extra content at www.thegamebusiness.com and you can find out all about it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Oct 2

On this week’s The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by analyst, author and all-round nice guy Joost van Dreunen to discuss the shock acquisition of EA and what it means on a political level. They also discuss Xbox's decision to raise the price of Game Pass Ultimate by 50%. And we dive into the numbers to get a sense of who might win between Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Sep 25

In this edition of The Game Business Show, we dive into video game release dates, featuring the latest stats from Newzoo. We also welcome the data firm’s director of market intelligence Emmanuel Rosier onto our Show. Rosier shares his views on where the industry may be going wrong when it comes to setting dates, and we also chat about Epic Games’ Fortnite monetisation U-turn, the Xbox price rises, and the rebrand of GDC. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Sep 23

In today's interview edition of The Game Business Show, we speak to new Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy where we discussed the firm's efforts to rescue its main RuneScape product. We also chatted about the incredible success of Old School RuneScape, the firm's surprise shadow drop for RuneScape Dragonwilds, the state of the game market, secret Jagex hit Scum and more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Sep 18

On today’s episode of The Game Business Show, we reunite with Stephen Totilo, the man who guest-hosted on our first ever episode. And this time, we discuss retro games, the latest Nintendo Direct and the future of video game consoles. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Sep 16

In this episode of The Game Business Show, we speak to two former Sega studios: The real-time strategy experts Relic Entertainment, and the 4X strategy developer Amplitude. In both of our short charts with the two CEOs, we discuss their journey to independence, the challenges and opportunities in the strategy space, and their ambitions for the future. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Sep 11

In this week’s edition of The Game Business, we tackle the legislation that is forcing developers to introduce age verification and other measures into its games, and how that is impacting studios. To help us understand all that, we’ve enlisted the help of media, tech and IP legal veteran Isabel Davies (currently plying her trade at Wiggin), who joins us as this week’s Guest Host. Davies and Chris also chat about ‘dark patterns’, Capcom’s console concerns, the blockbuster success of Hollow Knight: Silksong, and a whole lot more. Including the news that we are doing another live show, this time in London. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Sep 9

In this week's edition of The Game Business Show, Atari CEO Wade Rosen talks about the challenges of making retro games a success in 2025, the state of the classic games market, building sequels to classic games, and the firm's journey to profitability This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Sep 4

In this week's slightly different News/Analysis show, we invite video games job guru Amir Satvat to share statistics about the challenges in the video games jobs market. We discuss the industry's move away from North America, the rise of AI, the decline in remote working, the role of unions and, erm, Nintendo. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Sep 2

This week on The Game Business Show, Chris talks to two leaders from MachineGames - Jens Andersson and Pete Ward - about the unique culture within the Swedish developer. They discuss the firm's love of making Quake and Doom maps, what to consider when building for Game Pass, and all the things they discovered while making the first actually good Indiana Jones adventure in decades This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Aug 28

This week on The Game Business Show, we discuss the biggest themes and games from Gamescom 2025, utilising data from Fancensus, Game Discover and Press Engine. And Chris is joined by Ampere Analysis games boss Piers Harding-Rolls to dive into the numbers. Elsewhere, Chris speaks to Bloober Team CEO Piotr Babieno on the growing horror genre, and his grand designs for Nintendo. Plus, we ask indie publishers about the number of smaller teams fleeing the launch of Hollow Knight: Silksong. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Aug 26

Today's The Game Business Show is one we put on in front of a live audience at Gamescom 2025, and specifically The Keywords Studios Supercharged Summit. In this episode, we discuss announcing games, the value of game events, the state of the media, supporting communities, building assets and the future of video game marketing. We are joined by four experts. PR veteran and Indigo Pearl founder Caroline Miller, media investor and Eurogamer founder Rupert Loman, CD Projekt's VP of PR Michał Platkow-Gilewski and head of studio at creative agency ICHI Worldwide Samantha Lester. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Aug 21

In this week's episode of The Game Business Show, we discuss Opening Night Live and speak to Xbox about its two new handhelds. We are joined by Eurogamer editor-at-large and RPG Site founder Alex Donaldson to discuss the new game reveals, and Digital Foundry founder Richard Leadbetter to chat about the handhelds. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Aug 20

As part of our Gamescom coverage, we interview NCSoft boss Jeonghee Jin about the firm's two new shooters. Why is the MMO publisher expanding to new genres? And why one of the most competitive genres on the planet? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Aug 19

This week's bumper edition of The Game Business Show is an interview with Glen Schofield, the acclaimed producer and director behind multiple Call of Duty games, Dead Space, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and more.In this interview, we discuss Glen's efforts to get a new AAA project signed, his concerns about the industry, and his mission to prove that the market for big games isn't dead. We also chat E3, AI, industry jobs, the making of Dead Space and the challenges he faced making The Callisto Protocol. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Aug 14

In this week’s episode of The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by host, podcaster, writer, producer and journalist Lucy James (GameSpot/FPS Podcast) as we preview Gamescom and speak with the event organisers. The two also look at the latest insights on European gamers. Plus, discuss the success of the Battlefield 6 data and what to make of Sony’s comments about moving away from being a hardware-centric business. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Aug 12

This week on The Game Business Show, Chris speaks with Wizards of the Coast president John Hight and the CEO of Giant Skull Stig Asmussen to discuss D&D video games, and Wizards' plans to build out its own creative team, find new up-and-coming talent and become a major publisher of premium video games This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Aug 7

In this week's episode of The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by guest host (and publishing veteran) Simon Byron to discuss the return of RedOctane, including anecdotes from the launch of the original Guitar Hero. We also discuss the challenges of indie publishing, Green Man Gaming's new charity bundle project, plus the latest financial results. This episode includes an exclusive interview with the new RedOctane, plus a chat with Green Man Gaming. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Aug 5

In this edition of The Game Business Show, we are joined by ProbablyMonsters CEO Harold Ryan as the company reveals its first two games after nearly nine years in business.But the games are nothing like what we'd expected from what was, at one point, one of the game's industry's most ambitious AAA start-ups. Chris speaks to Ryan about how the company has had to transform itself, undergo a series of painful layoffs, and completely rethink the games it is making. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jul 29

This week on The Game Business Show, Chris speaks to Geoffroy Sardin, the CEO of Pullup Entertainment, which is the company behind the likes of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and A Plague's Tale. During this interview, we learn the company is working on 50 projects, and not a single one is 'AAA'. We talk about the opportunities in the AA and indie space, and why niche doesn't have to mean small. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jul 24

In today's episode of The Game Business Show, Chris speaks with the lead games analyst at Circana Mat Piscatella to discuss the latest US market results, the success of multi-platform releases, the launch of Switch 2, Xbox's U-Turn on software pricing, Ubisoft's financial results and a whole lot more This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jul 22

In today's episode of The Game Business Show, Chris speaks with former Ready at Dawn studio head Ru Weerasuriya about his new studio, Atlantis. During the chat, the two discuss the state of the industry, the challenges behind launching a new studio in 2025, and they also dive into the history of Ready at Dawn, from its early PSP success with PlayStation, to its relationship with Meta and the VR industry. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jul 17

In today's episode of The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by guest host Jacob Navok to discuss the future of video games in its new network era, and what that might mean for the entire industry. Plus, we discuss Roblox's new licensing program, the public row between Krafton and its studio Unknown Worlds, and King staff's belief that they've been replaced by AI This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jul 15

Chris speaks to Zynga CEO Frank Gibeau, who provides insightful answers to a range of questions about the company and the future of mobile games. During this conversation, we cover the closure of Echtra Games, the decision to sunset Star Wars Hunters, the challenge of making PC and console games work in mobile, backing out of Web3, keeping a watchful eye on Discord and Telegram, Apple’s legal defeat at the hands of Epic, the (apparent) lack of growth in mobile, Zynga’s development process, what Gibeau learnt about acquiring companies from EA, the firm’s current stance on licensed games, and its relationship with new owner Take-Two. Plus lots more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jul 10

This week, Chris visited the Develop:Brighton conference to meet up with old friend and colleague James Batchelor, where the two dive into the biggest games still to come out in 2025, using data supplied by Game Discover, IGN, Fandom and Fancensus. They also chat Xbox, Helldivers 2, Stop Killing Games and Nintendo’s plans to deal with rising dev costs. Plus, James shares his experience launching his first video game. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jul 8

In today's episode of The Game Business Show, Chris revisits the last time Xbox looked to transform its business when it launched the Xbox 360 and took on PlayStation 3. Peter Moore, who helped run Xbox at the time, tells us how they approached the launch, including an epic E3, an MTV reveal and reacting to Sony's spoiler tactics This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jul 3

In this edition of The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by IGN's Rebekah Valentine to look at the US economy. Using data from Circana's Mat Piscatella, Rebekah and Chris discuss the impact tariffs, recessionary fears and rising prices will have on video game sales this year. Plus we spoke to ESA CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jul 1

This week, Chris sits down with Sega president and COO Shuji Utsumi to discuss his 30-year career in games, a resurgent Japan, the risks of focusing too much on nostalgia and why he believes in consoles. Plus, he shares the firm's ambitions in live-service games, and discusses the impact of the Sonic movie. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jun 26

In this week's edition of The Game Business Show, we speak with the CEO of Ukie, that's the UK games industry trade body, about the investment the UK Government is putting into games. Chris and guest host George Osborn from the Video Games Industry Memo discuss the news, plus we dive into the performances of some big games of June, including MindsEye, Splitgate 2, Rematch, Dune Awakening and Peak. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jun 24

In this week's episode of The Game Business Show, Chris speaks to IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak to talk James Bond, Hitman, Nintendo Switch 2 and working with Build A Rocket Boy on MindsEye. We dive into the studio's prudent approach to making AAA single-player games, and we get some hints on how the team will develop 007 First Light in a similar way to Hitman. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jun 19

This week on The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by Post Games founder and host Chris Plante to discuss his new venture. We also share new market data for Nintendo Switch 2 around third-party games, we analyse the viewer numbers for Summer Game Fest, plus review some of the biggest stories from the past week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jun 17

This week's episode of The Game Business Show was recorded in front of a live audience, and it is with Twitch CEO Dan Clancy, who discussed monetisation, the future of streaming in a TikTok world, the popularity of GTA on the service, the rise of mobile, and why they've ended exclusivity contracts with streamers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jun 12

During The Game Business Live, we held a panel featuring Wizards of the Coast president John Hight, Netflix Games general manager Lisa Burgess and AGBO's games boss Pete Wanat to discuss the way video games collaborate with TV shows, movies and other entertainment products such as D&D. We discussed everything from Peppa Pig to a swearing Darth Vader. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jun 9

In this week's episode of The Game Business Show, Chris goes hands-on with the new ROG Xbox Ally X and discusses why it might prove lucrative even if the sales numbers aren't huge. He speaks to IO Interactive's Hakan Abrak to discuss the new James Bond game 007 First Light. And we chat Nintendo Switch 2 sales figures. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jun 5

We speak to the boss of Epic Games about the threat of live-service games, offering more monetization options in Fortnite, using other people's data to train AI, how Epic Games Store can better take on Steam, Fortnite on iOS, the metaverse and more This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Jun 3

This week on The Game Business Show, Christopher Dring speaks with Unity's Andrew Dennison and Konami's Richard Jones about the return of Survival Kids, the first game ever fully developed by Unity This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

May 29

In today's episode of The Game Business Show, Chris discusses whether Mario Kart is enough to drive Switch 2 momentum by itself. Plus, we give our view on the EA closing Cliffhanger Games and cancelling that Black Panther project This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

May 27

This week, Chris chats to Ubisoft Reflections MD Lisa Opie on all sorts of subjects. The differences between working in TV and working in games, the role narrative can play in growing the industry, the need to develop soft skills for game workers, the commercial realities driving lay-offs in the business, the future of in-office working and getting Gen X and Gen Z to work together. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

May 22

This week, we look at the performance of Doom: The Dark Ages. We ask what happened to Call of Duty Warzone on Mobile. We discuss the sale of UK publisher Curve to Nazara Technologies. But mostly, we delve into game company financials, including the strong performance of the big Japanese games publishers This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

May 20

In this episode, we catch up with Jason Kingsley, the CEO of Atomfall and Sniper Elite developer Rebellion. In this chat, we learn about the firm's unique approach to market research, the responsibility it has to not being reckless with game budgets, and what comes next after Game Pass hit Atomfall draws in 1.5m players. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

May 15

In today's episode of The Game Business Show, we look at Nintendo's cautious forecast for Switch 2, share estimates on what GTA 6's delay will mean for the games market in 2026, and discuss the growth opportunities in video games today, featuring Ampere games expert Piers Harding-Rolls This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

May 13

We caught up with media giants Fandom and Future, plus independent outfit RPG Site, to talk through the state of the video games media in this bumper 1-hour special. What is its future of games journalism? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

May 8

This week, Chris Dring is joined by MobileGamer.biz 's Neil Long to discuss whether Call of Duty in Game Pass is working out for the game and for Xbox, What to make of GTA 6's delay, the Xbox price rises, celebrities earning big money from the Royal Kingdom ad campaign, and, of course, what developers should do after the Epic vs Apple ruling last week This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

May 6

This week, we speak to Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red about Nintendo Switch 2. We find out what it learnt from The Witcher 3 on the last Switch, how Nintendo consoles can help unlock new players and why other publishers should really think hard about having a full physical version This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

May 1

In the latest edition of The Game Business Show, Chris Dring is joined by James Batchelor as they look at the numbers behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and we talk to publisher Kepler on the launch of the new smash hit Japanese-style RPG.Plus , we discuss the new date for Borderlands 4 and Ziff Davis going after OpenAI. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 29

In the latest episode of The Game Business Show, we speak to Remedy's Creative Director Sam Lake on his experience creating Alan Wake 2, his lifetime achievement award from GDC, coffee, working with Annapurna Pictures and, erm, Moomins This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 24

This week on The Game Business Show, we take a look at the drop in video game articles, we discuss the Oblivion remaster launch, and Jackbox Games reacts to Netflix entering its world of party games. Our guest hosts this week are former IGN, Gamer Network and ReedPop media experts Jon Hicks and Kat Bailey This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 22

We chat to Warhouse co-founder Daniel Vávra, who is also director and lead writer on the smash hit RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, about the challenges of making AAA games in today's games industry, the role of video game reviews, the importance of relatable stories, the growth of the team and what comes next for the studio This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 17

In this episode of The Game Business Show, we delve into the physical games market and why it remains vital even in 2025. We also cover tax breaks in Canada, the current mayhem caused by US tariffs and share our impressions on Nintendo Switch 2. The show is co-hosted by The Logic’s Brendan Sinclair, who is the former managing editor of GamesIndustry.biz. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 15

We meet with the producers behind the Sonic movie and the Tomb Raider TV show to discuss the Minecraft movie, and the risks of adapting video games to the big and small screen This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 10

In this episode of The Game Business Show we reveal the impact of the Minecraft TV show on its video game counterpart, and look at how these tie-ins generally are boosting sales of the games (or not). We also discuss a new game studio built by veterans looking to forge a more sustainable future, and we learn more about a new indie games event taking place in India this weekend. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 8

We speak to game analyst and Epyllion CEO Matthew Ball on the back of his hugely popular 230+ page report , to discuss the growth opportunities for video game companies. Including AAA mobile games, streaming, handheld consoles and PCs, Roblox and much more This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 7

Christopher Dring reflects on the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal, including the debate over its price, the possibility of competing with Sony, and what will really define the machine's long-term success This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 3

In today's The Game Business Show, it's a Nintendo Switch 2 special. Christopher Dring is joined by guest host Lucy James (GameSpot) to discuss the new console, the line-up, the pricing and whether third-party games can succeed on the platform. Also featuring GAME Managing Director Nick Arran on the fact digital games are cheaper than physical, leading game analyst Matthew Ball and Virtuos' Ryo Nakagawa. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Apr 1

Helldivers 2 was the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever when it launched last year, a feat nobody saw coming. Over the following months, the game saw its audience fall sharply and its Steam user score collapse. In our exclusive interview with Shams Jorjani, the CEO of Helldivers developer Arrowhead Games, we learn all about the studio's 'summer of pain', how things got so bad, and how the game managed to recover. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Mar 28

We speak to Netflix Games president Alain Tascan about the TV giant’s bid to disrupt the industryPlus! Hear our views on Ubisoft's new division with Tencent and Nintendo's Switch 1 Direct This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Mar 27

The Game Business speak to seven leading video game investors to discuss how they're feeling about the industry in 2025, what deals they're doing, what they're not doing, and why companies simply need to accept the 'new normal' This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Mar 25

Hello hello! Welcome to the very first The Game Business Newsletter. It’s a treat to have you here with us. We’re kicking things off with all things GTA, and the industry’s preparation over its launch… but what does the data say? Plus, we chat about the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, discuss the Trump Tarrifs and report back from GDC regarding the ESA’s new accessibility mission. You can read all about it below. But if reading’s not your bag, why not listen (or watch) The Game Business Show , where I’m joined by Game File’s very own Stephen Totilo to discuss those very same topics (plus plenty of GDC chat). You can watch it above, or download it via all good podcasting platforms. 1:Huge games prepare to flee GTA6 launch Three major video game publishers have told The Game Business they are ready to delay their games to avoid Grand Theft Auto 6. Rockstar’s first GTA game in 12 years is due for release at the end of 2025, and game companies are holding off confirming their Q4 release slate until the developer makes its move. “Rockstar games always suck a lot of money and, more importantly, time out of the market,” said the boss of one of the world’s biggest game publishers. “We don’t want to be anywhere near that. We are working up multiple different plans for our titles.” Another senior exec added: “Even without GTA. it’s immensely difficult to find free time for new games to shine. Time is the real scarcity for us, not money. It’s tough out there.” The comments follow EA boss Andrew Wilson admitting it might push back its major Battlefield relaunch due to “some things happening in the year that may cause us to think differently about our launch timing”. The firm says it expects the game to be ready to hit its FY 2026 release window, but it will consider an alternative window to ensure it has the “appropriate time, energy, and player acquisition opportunity for this Battlefield to be all that it needed to be.” A European boss of a AAA publisher told TGB that the real issue is if the game launches at the end of October or early November. “We don’t want to launch just before or just after the game. If it arrives in late October, that means you either have to launch early – which a lot of people seem to be doing with the recent glut of summer release dates. Or go later, putting you up against the Black Friday sales.” It’s not just new releases facing this challenge. TGB spoke to two developers of Top 10 live-service games, and they also admitted that they don’t plan any significant updates to their games during the GTA 6 launch window. “GTA 6 is basically a huge meteor and we will just stay clear of the blast zone,” one studio boss told us. “We will nudge our releases back or forward three weeks to avoid it. Of course, the problem is everyone is going to do the same. So three to four weeks before or after GTA 6, you’re going to get a load of games dropping content in what they believe will be the safe zone.” Another developer added: “There’s no point swimming against the current. We just need to prepare to win players back once the excitement has started to die down.” The companies we spoke to told us that it’s the uncertainty that’s playing havoc with their planning, with publishers preparing for multiple eventualities. “If we move out to 2025, what if Rockstar do, too?” asked the same European boss. “Will we have time to push our game up? Or will we have to delay further? It’s stressful.” But is the industry overreacting? The last time a new Grand Theft Auto was released was back in September 2013 and it immediately became the biggest entertainment launch in history. 50% of all game revenue made during that month in the US was for GTA 5 (Circana data), despite the game only arriving half-way through the month. In the UK, GTA 5 accounted for 89% of all games sold during the week of its release (Nielsen/GfK figures) and 94% of revenue. For the first three weeks on sale — which also featured the launch of FIFA 14 — Grand Theft Auto 5 accounted for two thirds of all games sold in the UK. And it’s those first three weeks that publishers have been calling the “blast zone”.Player behaviours have shifted significantly in the 12 years since GTA 5. Just because GTA 5 took upwards of 90% of the market at launch in 2013, doesn’t mean GTA 6 will in 2025. Nevertheless, history suggests GTA is going to have an outsized impact on the market, even before considering the additional pent-up demand for this sequel. Are any games safe? This is a tough one. Working with data firm Ampere , we can see which games cross-over most with Grand Theft Auto (across Steam, PlayStation and Xbox), but the data doesn’t go back as far as the GTA 5 launch. That means that the cross-over figures we’re looking at will primarily be Grand Theft Auto Online players. So naturally, the games that have the most cross-over are online service-based games. In October (when Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launched), 12.3% of CoD players also played GTA. That’s even higher for EA Sports FC 25, which had a 12.9% audience cross-over in September last year (when the football game launched). And in recent months Fortnite has had a nearly 21% audience cross-over with GTA, while Roblox had on average around a 22% audience cross-over.The numbers are much lower for single-player games. Just 3.1% of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 players also played GTA Online during September last year (when the game released), while Star Wars Outlaws had an audience cross-over of 5.3%. But again, that’s because GTA in 2024 was primarily played by online gamers, whereas GTA 6 will appeal heavily to single-player fans.I did look for games released last year that had very low audience cross-over with GTA, and the one that jumped out was Metaphor: ReFantazio, which had just a 1.3% cross-over. I then looked at other Japanese-centric titles, but they skewed a bit higher. Dragon’s Dogma 2 had a 3.3% cross-over, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth was on 3.2%, while Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Zero had a 6.7% audience cross-over with GTA.Ultimately, the data is inconclusive. And even if you are releasing something that targets a widely different audience (say a kids game or a 4X strategy game), you’ve still got the challenge of trying to get media coverage. GTA will dominate the conversation We asked PR service provider Press Engine to look at the impact big game launches have on media coverage. The firm gave us a ranking of the Top Ten most covered games during the launch weeks that Elden Ring, Starfield and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet came out. Those games all accounted for around 40% of all published articles from those Top Ten games. In the case of 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, that number was above 50% (data courtesy of Press Engine ). And that situation is becoming more acute as the mainstream media landscape continues to shrink. Therefore, even if you do have something that can sit besides GTA 6 and not directly compete with it, getting cut through for your game is going to prove challenging. Live-service anxieties It’s not clear what Rockstar is planning for its online mode when GTA 6 finally releases. But based on historical data, live-service games have some reason to be hopeful it can entice players back once the initial excitement has subsided. Grand Theft Auto Online is a hugely successful live service game, but it’s not an especially ‘sticky’ one. Ampere tracks how often a player returns to a game in a given a month. The average GTA 5/Online player comes back to that game 4 - 5 days a month. By comparison, the average Call of Duty player returns 6 - 7 days a month, while Fortnite players play that game 7 - 8 days a month on average. The data suggests that Grand Theft Auto Online has a reasonable share of players that engage on a more ad-hoc basis compared to other live service games, which is potentially good news for competitors hoping to entice players away from GTA 6 over time. We’ll have to wait and see what Rockstar is planning (if anything) for its online mode this year. What if it’s delayed? Take-Two says GTA 6 is on track for this year. But considering Rockstar’s penchant for game delays, there is almost an expectation that the game might be pushed back.And going back to the beginning, this is what is causing the biggest headache. If the game misses 2025, is it too late for publishers to move back in? And if it is too late, what does that do to the 2026 calendar? One company that would benefit from a delay is Nintendo. The company will be pushing its Switch 2 console this Holiday season, while Sony and Microsoft will be leveraging GTA 6 to grow sales of PS5 and Xbox Series S and X. If GTA 6 was to slip out of the year, it would give Nintendo a clearer run at the market. 2:Ubisoft’s crucial Assassin’s Creed Shadows launch is strong (but not quite record-breaking) Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the second fastest-selling game in the franchise’s history, behind 2020’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.Ampere data estimates that the game has attracted 2.7 million players in its launch weekend, while Ubisoft has already confirmed 2 million activations. Shadows is also available to Ubisoft Plus members, so these numbers will include subscribers alongside those who bought the game via digital and physical stores.In the UK, the game’s opening week physical sales are 63% lower than what Assassin’s Creed Valhalla managed back in November 2020, according to Nielsen/GfK. However, that was a particularly big launch, fuelled by the COVID-19 lockdowns. Compared with 2023’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the number of boxed games sold is similar, but revenue was 47% higher (due to the game’s higher asking price).So it’s a strong start and well ahead of Star Wars Outlaws. GfK/Nielsen reveals that Shadows sold more boxed copies in the UK in one week than Outlaws managed in three months. The game is also the biggest UK physical launch of the year so far, comfortably ahead of Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds.The launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been billed as a make or break release for Ubisoft, which delivered a string of commercial disappointments in 2024, including Skull and Bones, XDefiant and Star Wars Outlaws. As a result, the company has been laying off employees and closing studios to reduce it costs, with a renewed focus on its biggest franchises. The launch appears strong, but the question is whether it has been strong enough for Ubisoft. 3:Industry ‘prepared’ for Trump Tariffs Speaking to executives at GDC last week, TGB heard plenty of concerns around the impact of the tariffs that have been imposed (or threatened) by the Donald Trump administration on the likes of China and Mexico. Yet these worries are primarily around what they might do to people’s ability to spend on luxury items (such as video games). When it comes to the direct impact on video games and consoles, platform holders had already mitigated the risks over a potential trade war. “They acted swiftly after the actions of the last Trump administration,” said one senior exec. As a result, a lot of games console manufacturing now takes place in countries such as Vietnam, which are (currently) not subject to tariffs. In terms of physical games, it varies by platform, but if we focus on Nintendo Switch (which is by far the biggest platform for physical games), those cartridges are made exclusively in Japan, and then they’re shipped to their respective territories for packing. Boxed games can be produced and packed in numerous locations, but a lot of US publishers tend to use local firms anyway, such as Vantiva. We’ll be covering more on this topic in the coming weeks and months as the situation continues to develop. 4:Rivals unite for Accessible Games Initiative: “We had to succeed” The Entertainment Software Association took to the Main Stage at GDC to reveal the Accessible Games Initiative, which is a series of tags that developers can use on digital storefronts (and possibly physical ones in the future) to inform gamers of the accessibility features in their games. The tags cover features around audio, input devices, gameplay and visuals, with specific tags ranging from narrated menus and large subtitles, to the ability to control the whole game with just a mouse. The goal was to create a common language that can be used across the industry so that gamers can identify the features that they need when picking up a game. The project began as a collaboration between Google and Microsoft, before Ubisoft, Nintendo, Sony, EA and the ESA jumped on-board to help develop the tags. Amazon, Riot, Square Enix, and Warner Bros have since joined the project). Speaking to TGB after the reveal, Ubisoft’s Director of Accessibility David Tisserand discussed the five-year journey it took to deliver the tags, and his experience of watching traditional competitors working side-by-side on the initiative: “We had this common goal that we all believed in 100%,” he said. “Whatever different opinions or perspectives that could come up in the conversation, we always went back to those initial meetings where we created the vision and what we wanted to achieve. It was five years of work. It didn’t happen overnight. We had to be flexible. We had to be understanding and take each perspective into account before making a decision, which is why it take so long. But that initiative is really focused on the words we used. The criteria we used. It is almost pixel perfect. It involved a lot of discussion to make sure everyone agreed. “We knew we had to succeed. And therefore it made everyone to be flexible, to be understanding, and accept that sometimes their opinion wouldn’t be the one we used in the end. And we all did that.” As an ESA project, currently these tags are just for use in the US games market. Nobody would be drawn on the prospect of a globally agreed set of tags, but it would require the involvement of other global industry trade bodies. That’s all for today! We have so much more planned for you this week, including a deep dive into the state of games investment in our Feature Show, which goes live on Thursday. Also watch out for a bonus newsletter later this week, featuring more stories and interviews. Until then, thank you for reading! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

Mar 23

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