Day Zero Podcast

This episode was recorded a day or two prior to the big GTA 6 reveal on Netflix. While we were in two minds to take it live, re-listening to it shows a lot of what we discussed is still relevant despite what Rockstar and Take-Two would have you believe of its latest open-world crime simulator. From business strategy to leaks to pre-order forecasts and even developer comments from those at Rockstar...

This week’s Day Zero episode focusses on GTA 6’s marketing (or lack thereof) which includes locking up specific marketing assets like its gameplay trailer behind the paywall that is Netflix (for about six hours) as well as Sony’s ongoing attempts to kill video game culture by killing physical media. Along with this we also discuss Ubisoft’s surprise update to Ghost Recon Wildlands which adds 60fps...

With gaming audiences increasingly sceptical of anything that looks remotely like a paid plug, game makers have to consider other options to get their message across. And this has resulted in influencers and content creators being a critical part of any modern video game’s launch campaign (or resurgence). For this special episode we roped in Rohin Bhaumik, co-founder of Aftermath to make sense of...

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced sold over three million units in a week. In this episode of the Day Zero podcast, we discuss what this means for Ubisoft and how it could signal a resurgence of the historical murder ‘em up franchise. From what to expect from upcoming games like Assassin’s Creed Hexe, Invictus, and Jade to how the power fantasy-fuelled gameplay of Black Flag Resynced could be t...

With two million copies sold since it hit the shelves last week, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced will likely end up one of the biggest-selling games of the year. And after spending quality time with the game it’s easy to see why. From a modern-day glow up to empowering gameplay and a dose of (somewhat dubious) portable play, it’s quite obvious that Ubisoft put in a lot of love into the remake...

PlayStation announced the end of physical discs by 2028 nearly a week ago which implies the end of owning games you buy on its consoles. The response from the community has been vociferous to say the least. Naturally we had to dissect what this means for the industry and more importantly, you. Along with this explore how the company manipulated sales data to make it seem like physical sales are in...

By now the discourse surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) is roiling to say the least. From Rockstar demanding pre-orders without showing much in way of gameplay to a suspiciously pro-corporate slant from consumers justifying the company’s many failings (including crunch and potentially killing an entire retail industry) it’s been a wild week. However is there more to it than just wanton outrage...

While Summer Game Fest brought with it a stellar line up of games reminiscent of the best days of E3, Valve dropped what’s likely the most consequential update for game developers in recent memory. After being in beta for a few months, the Company that Can’t Count to Three revealed a Steam store refresh that changes how industry conducts business on the biggest storefront for PC games. For this sp...

At this point we might as well call this the Xbox Podcast rather than Day Zero what with the sheer number of times we’ve had to discuss the platform’s ups and downs on the podcast. After a successful Summer Game Fest showcase , it appears that Microsoft realises that a paltry three percent margin isn’t enough to run the Xbox business and cuts are afoot. To the point where not only did Xbox CEO Ash...

E3 is dead only in name. The Summer Game Fest has embodied the spirit of what used to be the convergence of the video games industry. And while everyone and their grandma’s cat has given a blow-by-blow account of what was, this episode of Day Zero takes a slightly different approach. We discuss what we believe are the biggest announcements from the week that was the Summer Game Fest. From Sony’s S...

This episode of the Day Zero Podcast is out earlier than expected simply because we wanted to discuss all things PlayStation before the big PS5 State of Play later in the week. In this episode, we dissect ongoing security concerns that plague PlayStation users which can essentially have your entire digital library taken away from you. Along with this we also talk about the ungodly pricing for PS5...

Welcome to a special episode of Day Zero. With us this time around is friend of the show and editor-in-chief of Story Mode , Karan Pradhan to discuss Ubisoft’s upcoming remake of historical murder ‘em up, Assassin’s Creed 4 Black Flag. Rechristened as Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, he’s played a close to final build of the game in the run up to its July 9 release date. Be it Resynced’s fait...

It’s been a hot minute since the last episode of Day Zero, which we’ve been told, broke certain parts of the internet due to our reporting on all things Nintendo in India. For those of you that tuned in, subscribed, and reached out — thank you for supporting independent media. And for those of you that shamelessly stole our work without crediting it us for clout — may you be blessed with the sound...

Another week, another reason for GTA 6 to be in the news cycle. And like every generational pairing, be it peanut butter and chocolate, America and oil, or AI and circular funding, a Rockstar-developed game and crunch is one you can definitely count on. In this episode of the Day Zero podcast we discuss rumours of Rockstar’s India team crunching to meet the GTA 6 release date along with taking an...

Another week, another episode. This time we’re focusing on Valve’s latest hardware drop: the new Steam Controller. It’s been a hot minute since the House Gaben built released its first-generation Steam Controller, only to be discontinued four years later. Fast-forward to now and the company’s second stab at it might be its most promising yet. We also discuss how you could get your hands on it if y...

Xbox promises a return to form with a chatty new memo while PlayStation’s silence suggests a heel turn no one wanted or asked for. All while Pragmata and Saros have us feeling that video games, unlike the industry that makes them, are alright actually. It’s been a loaded week in the games business and we’re here to break it all down. Unlike most of our usual episodes that focus on a single topic,...

After a solid press event a few months ago, Nvidia finally lifted the lid on its GeForce Now streaming service India release. Following a couple of weeks of media previews, players can check it out from April 16 onwards in early access. In this episode of the Day Zero Podcast, we discuss our thoughts on GeForce Now after trying it out pre-release across a host of devices ranging from TVs to Steam...

Episode 20 of the Day Zero podcast is out. As the title suggests, we break down what to expect from the ShinyHunters hack of GTA 6 developer Rockstar. Keep in mind that this was recorded on April 12, a day before the hackers leaked details early. That said we parse what you can expect in the aftermath of this reveal and ponder how a company with more money than god can’t get its cybersecurity in o...

With the PS5 getting a much-maligned price hike this week, we discuss what to expect from PlayStation in terms of its impact on a potential PS5 Pro India launch and more importantly, how much more you could pay for a PS5 if you haven’t got one already . Along with this, we also discuss the company’s legacy of making games for India from India (or in the case of Singstar Bollywood, London). Before...

AI slop and its proponents can’t stop clinging to an already hollowed-out games industry and this time it’s courtesy of Nvidia. By now the megacorp’s AI piss filter reveal or “DLSS 5”as its officially known has been universally panned to the point where our favourite leather clad CEO Jensen had to claim to hate AI slop after calling his audience wrong, all while the company has admitted that the l...

Halo and Destiny hitmaker Bungie released Marathon earlier this month. It’s the legendary studio’s first game following Sony splurging $3.6 billion to acquire it. While there’s a lot of things in this extraction shooter that make it compelling to play, there’s also a lot of friction that make it impenetrable for some. And while certain sections of the internet might croon that it’s Concord 2.0 (pr...

After a recent Shark Tank India episode featuring a father and son duo making $221,000 in Roblox, we’ve been inundated with requests from our listeners — mainly those working in the video games industry — to break down what user generated content is for platforms like Roblox and Fortnite, and how that differs from (or complements) existing live service pipelines for such games. For what it’s worth...

Capcom’s on a generational run with its survival horror series Resident Evil. The ninth mainline entry, Resident Evil Requiem is out now for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. In this episode of the Day Zero Podcast we discuss our thoughts on the game (spoiler-free) along with how it’s sold in the Indian market (spoiler: good) and how the likes of Games The Shop — the country’s bigge...

Industry staple Phil Spencer is moving on from Xbox. Megacorp Microsoft announced the Xbox CEO’s departure late last week. Heir apparent Sarah Bond revealed she would be moving on too. In their place is Asha Sharma is the new CEO of Xbox. She was previously the head of coreAI at Microsoft. In this episode of Day Zero, we discuss the ramifications of this move along with some community wisdom that’...

The PlayStation State of Play for February 2026 was perhaps the strongest showing from any console maker in recent times. From the likes of John Wick to Kena: Scars of Kosmora, there’s something for everyone. It harkened back to the time of the original PlayStation’s (and arguably PlayStation 2’s) peak — so many games to choose from for any kind of gamer. In this episode of Day Zero, we discuss wh...