AVoCADo GamesCast

Episode #114: A Tale of Two Egmonts

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Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa

Editor:
The Kappa

Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
2:10 – Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate
21:45 – Donkey Kong Bananza
37:55 – Adult Content and Payment Processors
1:06:20 – A Digression on Fanfic
1:08:15 – Microsoft’s Business and Generative AI
1:24:40 – Nvidia’s Business and Generative AI
1:44:25 – How We Talk About AI in Gaming
1:52:40 – The Business of Tech and Entertainment Conglomerates
1:58:15 – The Use of AI in the Workplace
2:01:40 – Search Engines
2:07:35 – AI, Labour, and the Politics of Tech, Part 1
2:15:00 – Recycling
2:21:00 – AI, Labour, and the Politics of Tech, Part 2
2:24:45 – Problems with Games Media Reporting on Business
2:35:50 – Holding Companies
2:40:30 – Conclusion

Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep114

Podcast header image from Donkey Kong Bananza. Mild spoiler warning: Donkey Kong Bananza. Content warning: discussions of sexual assault and sexual topics. Linkdump and timestamps for warnings after the jump.

Introduction (0:15)

No links here.

Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate (2:10)
  • Steam store page for Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate.
  • Clarification: This episode was recorded before the announcement of Pete Parsons’s resignation on August 21st. (Source: Bungie)
    • Donkey Kong Bananza (21:45)

    MILD SPOILERS: Donkey Kong Bananza

    • Trailer for Donkey Kong Bananza. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
    • Wikipedia article on Super Mario Odyssey.
    • The Zebra Bananza theme from Donkey Kong Bananza. (Source: Shacknews on YouTube)
      • Adult Content and Payment Processors (37:55)

      CONTENT WARNING: Discussions of sexual assault and sexual topics

      • Collective Shout’s open letter to payment processors. (Source: Collective Shout)
      • A recap of the story to the end of July. (Source: CBC)
      • itch.io’s announcement of the partial reindexing of adult content. (Source: itch.io)
      • GOG’s protest giveaway of adult games. (Source: GOG.com)
      • Clarification: While ABC was fined by the FCC for nudity in NYPD Blue, the fine was ultimately struck down by a U.S. court. (Source: Wikipedia)
      • Valve’s comments on Mastercard’s statement denying responsibility for the content takedowns. (Source: PC Gamer)
      • Confirmation: Steam accounts are limited until at least $5 USD is spent on Steam, so activations of gifts and externally-purchased games don’t count. However, activating a Steam Wallet card does count towards the $5 USD, so a credit card is not required to lift the limitations. (Source: Steam Support)
      • Fallout 3 was originally refused classification in Australia for its depiction of drug use, but it was later permitted for sale after it was altered to remove the offending content. (Source: Wikipedia)
      • Steam store page for HuniePop.
        • A Digression on Fanfic (1:06:20)
        • Confirmation: Unfortunately, Archive of Our Own does not have any fanworks that feature both Commander Zavala and Donkey Kong. We also confirmed that there are no results when searching by tag instead of by keyword. (Source: Archive of Our Own)
        • Destinypedia entry on Mara Sov.
          • Microsoft’s Business and Generative AI (1:08:15)
          • Article about 9,000 layoffs at Microsoft. (Source: CNBC)
          • Clarification: The news that development on Contraband had ceased came after we recorded. (Source: The Gamer)
          • Satya Nadella’s open letter about Microsoft’s pivot to AI. (Source: Official Microsoft Blog)
          • Know Your Meme article on Focus Group Man, the source of the “he admit it!” meme.
          • Microsoft’s annual reports for FY2023 and FY2024. (Source: Microsoft)
          • Spreadsheets Merve prepared analyzing Microsoft’s financials.
            • Nvidia’s Business and Generative AI (1:24:40)
            • Report that Nvidia is set to slash RTX 5000 series card prices. (Source: Tech Radar)
            • Article on Nvidia reaching $4 trillion US in market capitalization. (Source: Reuters)
            • Report on the RTX 5060 review scandal. (Source: The Verge)
              • How We Talk About AI in Gaming (1:44:25)
              • Report on the controversial New York Times article on AI in gaming. (Source: PC Gamer)
              • Steam store page for the AI-driven remake of The Portopia Serial Murder Case.
                • The Business of Tech and Entertainment Conglomerates (1:52:40)
                • The Google graveyard. (Source: Killed by Google)
                  • The Use of AI in the Workplace (1:58:15)

                  No links here.

                  Search Engines (2:01:40)
                  • Wikipedia article on Google’s Gemini LLM.
                  • Wikipedia article on KartOO. Correction: the URL was http://www.kartoo.com, not http://www.kartoo.fr.
                    • AI, Labour, and the Politics of Tech, Part 1 (2:07:35)
                    • Article on the UK’s new age verification laws. (Source: BBC)
                      • Recycling (2:15:00)
                      • Correction: While aluminum is effectively infinitely recyclable and recycling rates in industrial markets are high (> 90% in the United States), rates are low in consumer markets (e.g. < 50% in the United States for beverage cans). (Source: The Aluminum Association)
                      • Correction: Recycling code 01 corresponds to PET, not LDPE. 03 is for LDPE. (Source: Wikipedia)
                      • An economic study of the Canadian plastic industry. The pie chart on page 6 shows that in 2016, the largest end-use market for plastic products was packaging. (Source: Government of Canada)
                        • AI, Labour, and the Politics of Tech, Part 2 (2:21:00)

                        No links here.

                        Problems with Games Media Reporting on Business (2:24:45)
                        • Spreadsheets Merve prepared analyzing Microsoft’s financials.
                          • Holding Companies (2:35:50)
                          • Wikipedia article on the Egmont Group.
                          • Correction: Burger King is owned by Canadian firm Restaurant Brands International. 3G Restaurant Brands Holdings LP does not own a controlling stake, but rather a 32% stake. 3G Restaurant Brands Holdings LP is an affiliate of 3G Capital, which is currently headquartered in New York, but evolved out of a Brazilian investment office. (Source: Wikipedia)
                          • Wikipedia article on the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, not to be confused with the Egmont Group.
                          • Correction: It is not possible to walk into the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units’ office, because its listed address is a PO box. (Source: Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units)
                            • Conclusion (2:40:30)
                            • Wikipedia article on Sleepless in Seattle.
                              • ...more
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