The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast

Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news. This week, we discuss the ongoing conversations around Xbox - from C...

The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast dives into the biggest stories across the business of video games from the past week. This week, Chris Dring returns from San Francisco to bring us a better sense of the mood at GDC and how it reflects what's happening in the industry, as well as some of the more interesting things he learned around the conference. Subjects that get discussed include the leaked PS5...

The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast takes a quick dive into the biggest stories from the business of video games over the past week. This week, editor-in-chief James Batchelor is joined by staff writer Jeffrey Rousseau, who makes his Microcast debut while regular co-host Chris Dring is attending GDC 2024. The discussion begins with a look at Embracer Group's $247m sale of Saber Interactive and various...

The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast is a weekly podcast with Chris Dring and James Batchelor offering a quick dive into the biggest stories from across the business of video games. This week, we discuss Apple's short-lived ban on Epic Games' developer account, which would have prevented both the return of Fortnite to iOS and the launch of Epic's app store. Far from being another chapter in the ongoing...

The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast offers a quick look at the biggest stories from the business of video games every Monday. This week, Chris Dring and James Batchelor are joined by Remedy communications director Thomas Puha, who talks to us about the studio reclaiming the publishing rights of Control, the success of Alan Wake 2, and the challenges of AAA development in general. We also discuss the m...

Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring where they give you their take on the biggest stories in video games. Never miss an episode and subscribe to the GI Microcast on all Podcasting platforms and YouTube. Join them every Monday for more video games news. This week, we discuss the slew of game announcements that emerged fr...

Chris Dring and James Batchelor take a look at the biggest stories from the business of video games in the last week. We start by discussing Xbox's announcement of four first-party titles coming to other platforms, as well as Microsoft's wider games strategy, before delving into PlayStation's latest financials, the challenges it faces and the revelation that there will be no major launches from ex...

James Batchelor and Chris Dring discuss the biggest news from the past week. The main topic this week is the recent rumours that Microsoft may bring key first-party exclusives such as Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to other platforms, including PlayStation 5. We talk about Microsoft's history of exploring 'rival' platforms, and why it does and doesn't make sense for these titles...

GamesIndustry.biz's James Batchelor and Chris Dring discuss the biggest stories of the past week. First, we discuss the Eidos Montreal layoffs and the cancellation of a new Deus Ex title, as well as the implications for the future of this franchise - and many of the other franchises, such as fan favourite (and Chris favourite) TimeSplitters, whose future depends on the outcome of the Embracer Grou...

Chris Dring and James Batchelor discuss some of the biggest stories about the business of video games from the past week. This week's Microcast kicks off with Chris' report on the industry bracing itself for further difficult times, with investors, publishers and developers expecting up to two years of closures, changes to the release schedule and investment opportunities, and more. We also discus...

James Batchelor and Chris Dring once again discuss some of the biggest stories from the past week, including the divisive agreement between union SAG-AFTRA and AI voice tech firm Replica Studios to use AI voice acting in video games. The discussion inevitably extends to the broader implications of AI, including Steam's revised policies that will allow "the vast majority of games using it" to launc...

Chris Dring and James Batchelor return with our weekly dive into the biggest news stories from the business of video games. 2024 has barely started and the ongoing trend of layoffs across the games industry continues. We discuss some of the wider factors that are driving this, and what else we can expect in the year ahead. We also discuss recent stories about the use of generative AI in promotiona...

For our final podcast of the year, The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics to discuss their favourite games of the past twelve months. You may well have read our extended thoughts in our Games of the Year articles, and this conversation wraps things up, as well as gives some nods to our honourable mentions. From the relaxing trials of Pikmin 4 to the freeform adventures of Baldur's Ga...

The GamesIndustry.biz team gathers around their mics to reflect on the past year, as well as the biggest stories and trends we've covered. The discussion inevitably begins with the waves of layoffs we've seen throughout 2023, and what they say about both the state of the industry and what we can expect in 2024. We also discuss the debate around using AI in games development, the quality of games r...

Chris Dring and James Batchelor discuss the biggest stories of the past week, on (potentially) our final Microcast of 2023. Today's discussion begins with the reveal of Grand Theft Auto 6, from the changes at Rockstar since GTA 5 to the sales expectations and potential impact the game will have on 2024 and 2025, plus our own thoughts on this first look at the game. We also discuss this year's The...

Chris Dring and James Batchelor discuss the biggest stories of the past week, starting with the mixed messages over whether Xbox Game Pass is heading to Nintendo and PlayStation consoles. While Xbox CFO Tim Stuart said last week that this is part of the company's long-term strategy (echoing comments from Xbox boss Phil Spencer five years ago), Spencer has since said this is not on the cards. Which...

On our latest Microcast, James Batchelor and Chris Dring discuss the fallout of Embracer Group's ongoing restructure, as revealed by its recent financial results that confirmed over 900 people were laid off in the space of three months. We discuss the strategy that led directly to Embracer's struggles, as well as whether these issues are a sign of further turbulent times to come for the wider indu...

The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast returns, bringing you a digestible dose of the biggest news and analysis from the business of video games. On this episode, James Batchelor and Christopher Dring discuss the upcoming reveal of Grand Theft Auto 6, and how the development team behind it has changed since the launch of the record-breaking Grand Theft Auto 5 back in 2013. We also discuss the reports reg...

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,...

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...

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 chance...

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 cha...

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 t...

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...

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 accompani...