James Batchelor and Chris Dring dive into the implications of this week's Xbox leak - and debate whether the industry truly learned anything of value. Among the revelations discussed are Microsoft targeting 2028 for its next Xbox console, full details of two mid-generation refreshes for Xbox Series X and S that are expected to launch next year, a hybrid cloud gaming platform due to launch by 2028, Bethesda's future line-up of games, and Spencer's ambition to acquire Nintendo. We also ponder the impact of leaks in general, and whether the industry can change how it communicates about its products in order to negate any damage done by early reveals. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast

Microcast: Xbox leak

James Batchelor and Brendan Sinclair dive into the backlash around Unity's proposed Runtime Fee. As the industry waits for the engine provider's revised plan to charge developers for every install of their game (past certain thresholds), we look at how Unity could have handled both the announcement and the need for more revenue in a different way. We also discuss the impact on developers and their trust in the tech firm, as well as the games industry's concerning reliance on two engine providers. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microcast: Unity Runtime Fee

The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics and discuss the biggest stories of the past week. We start with a recap of Gamescom Opening Night Live before looking forward to the high-profile hits due for release in the run-up to Christmas - particularly the crowded October slate. Which titles do we expect to do well? Which ones face stiffer competition, and how will this affect their chances? And which titles are we particularly looking forward to? There's also more thoughts on the new Microsoft-Activision deal as the pair prepare to address regulator concerns about cloud gaming dominance by selling the latter's streaming rights to Ubisoft. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The battle for October

On today's GI Microcast, Chris Dring and James Batchelor discuss the latest developments in the ongoing saga that is Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This morning it was announced the CMA has fully blocked the original deal, but a modified deal is now undergoing a phase one investigation with the aim to have a final decision on the transaction by October 18. The biggest change is that this deal excludes cloud gaming rights, which have been divested to Assassin's Creed publisher Ubiosft. We discuss whether this major alteration is enough to address the CMA's cloud gaming concerns, whether the end of the deal is finally in site, and what prospects there are for further acquisitions in the market given the current economic climate. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microcast: Ubisoft enters MS-ABK deal

In the final episode of this series of the Playable Futures Podcast, Will Freeman chats to Mitu Khandaker, CEO and Co-Founder of mobile studio Glow Up Games, about the impact of AI on games and what they mean for the future of play. The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The future of AI | Playable Futures

In today's Microcast, we discuss two of the biggest stories of the week. First, we debate Microsoft's newly announced Xbox enforcement system, which will issue 'strikes' to players for violations of its code of conduct ranging from cheating and profanity to harassment and hate speech. Eight strikes earns a one-year suspension, but is the system too lenient? And how effective do we think it will be at addressing the issue of toxicity in multiplayer games? Then we ponder the future of Call of Duty, with today's reveal of Modern Warfare 3 marking a shift away from Activision's tradition of rotating between sub-brands. Given the struggles of Vanguard and the abandonment of previous series, is Call of Duty becoming too reliant on the Modern Warfare name? As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microcast: Xbox Enforcement System, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

After eleven and a half years at UKIE, Jo’s imminent move to the music industry, where she will be serving as CEO of the British Phonographic Industry, felt like an appropriate opportunity to pause and reflect on her tenure and the importance of play. Speaking with us at Develop in Brighton, she explained that play has always encompassed more than just games. The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jo Twist on the power of play | Playable Futures

James Batchelor and Christopher Dring discuss a busy week in the ongoing saga that is Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Following the denial of the FTC's preliminary injunction, the denial of its request for an extension to the temporary restraining order, and the denial of its appeal, there is seemingly nothing to stop Microsoft completing the deal in the US before its deadline tomorrow. And with a ten-year deal signed with Sony to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, the barriers do seem to be lowering. We discuss all of the above, plus the CMA's decision to consider proposals of a modified deal and how Nintendo might secretly be one of the biggest winners from the past week's events. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microcast: MS-ABK nears completion

The latest episode of Playable Futures features a conversation with Deborah Mensah-Bonsu, who is the founder of dmb crew. Her flagship initiative is Games for Good, which focuses on helping studios and the wider industry harness games for social impact. Will and Deborah discuss the opportunity presented by the proliferation of games on mobile to unlock societal and behavioural change for good. “People are starting to understand that what it means to be a gamer is not what it was ten years ago,” Deborah says, adding later - “There is a potential for mobile to engage with people who didn’t consider themselves gamers. Mobile is leading on that.” Whilst the discussion touches the familiar themes of mobile gaming such as monetisation - with Deborah saying that “it’s not wrong to spend money on something that you think is bringing you value,” - and discoverability, the podcast equally focuses on the potential of the medium to effect change, with Deborah being optimistic about mobile as a platform for innovation and connection, with games offering tremendous potential to take us beyond the horizon of our ambition. The Playable Futures Podcast accompanies Playable Futures, a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry and medium will go next. A series of ten articles so far have been published on GamesIndustry.biz, with more planned. Playable Futures is a collaborative project brought to you in partnership with GI.biz, UKIE and Diva. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Playable Futures: The future of mobile

The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast is back. In today's episode, James Batchelor and Chris Dring reflect on the revelations so far from the court hearing between the Federal Trade Commission and Microsoft over the latter's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. As you can tell from our ongoing roundup, it's hard to gauge whether any progress is actually being made here but there are certainly some interesting tidbits coming out from the various parties involved that make for great headlines. We discuss the moments and quotes that stood out the most to us, as well as the general context around this legal clash and what (if anything) might happen next. You can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microcast: FTC vs Microsoft

The GamesIndustry.biz team gather around their mics to reflect on this year's cavalcade of video game showcases. We've already shared our favourite indie titles from the likes of Summer Game Fest, Xbox Games Showcase, Day of the Devs, Wholesome Direct and more, while Chris Dring reviewed his experience of the first physical Summer Game Fest event. Now we discuss the overall line-up of the week-and-a-bit, our personal highlights, areas we'd like to see improvement, and how we think this collection of events might evolve if the central pillar of E3 does not return. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The highs and lows of Summer Game Fest 2023

Shawne Benson, Global Head of Third Party Portfolio & Acquisitions at Sony Interactive Entertainment and Laila Shabirm, Founder & CEO of Girls Make Games speak to Will Freeman for the latest instalment of our Playable Futures Series. Our eighth outing sees us tackling what continues to be a prominent talking point within the industry - women in games. For a sector often associated with toxic stereotypes around gender, this enlightening chat looks at the ways in which the industry has changed to encompass more diverse voices and the future benefits of doing so. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Playables Futures: The Future of Women in Games

James and Brendan discuss two of the biggest stories of the day in our latest GamesIndustry.biz Microcast. We start by wrapping up our coverage of the major summer games showcases, discussing the line-up at yesterday's Ubisoft Forward. The conversation touches on everything from the narrative dilemmas of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora to the more-than-a-little awkward introduction of Netflix animated series Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix. Then we turn our attention to this morning's announcement that Embracer Group is embarking on a restructuring program that will result in the closure of studios, cancellation of games, and an unknown number of layoffs. We discuss the events that may have led up to this, and what happens next. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microcast: Ubisoft Forward, Embracer restructure

Continuing our breakdown of the biggest summer games showcases, James and Marie reflect on the line-up Microsoft showed off at last night's Xbox Games Showcase. Headlined by the likes of Fable and Star Wars: Outlaws, with a good old fashioned hardware reveal and a lot more information on the upcoming Starfield, the showcase gave a great insight into what Microsoft's first-party studios are working on as it continues to beef up its offering. We discuss our highlights of the show, but be sure to read our handy roundup to check there's nothing you have missed. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microcast: Xbox Games Showcase 2023

The GamesIndustry.biz microcast returns as we discuss the biggest announcements from this year's Summer Game Fest: Kickoff Live. James and Marie share their thoughts on the most promising games, as well as the tone and quality of the overall line-up. And, inevitably, the conversation shifts towards the usual 'do we need E3/Not-E3?' discourse. If you missed this year's Summer Game Fest, be sure to catch up on all the news with our handy roundup. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microcast: Summer Game Fest 2023

Regular news discussion show offering insight into the global video games market for industry professionals. The GI.Biz's world-leading team of experienced trade journalists, who spend each episode breaking down the biggest stories, lending their thoughts on the latest trends in the market, and discussing the implications for video games as a business

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The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast

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