The PlayStation 5 Pro defies all logic, reaching deeper into diehards' pockets in the worst economy we've seen in 15 years. We break down the challenging economics (while also admiring Mark Cerny's ASMR-style presentation). Also: GameStop earnings tumble, more Microsoft layoffs, Unity reverses a terrible decision, and can AI companies just stop stealing our stuff?

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TIME STAMPS

• [00:01:43] - A Quick Chat about PAX West
• [00:11:27] - The PS5 Pro Defies Logic
• [00:25:43] - Concord's Short-Lived Life
• [00:35:41] - Take This is in Danger of Closing
• [00:39:54] - OpenAI and Microsoft are Scraping Game Dev Work
• [00:45:11] - Unity's Road to Redemption
• [00:51:30] - Gamestop Q2 FY25 Earnings
• [00:56:40] - Investment Interlude
• [01:09:55] - Quick Hits
• [01:14:45] - Labor Report

SOURCES

• Welcome PlayStation 5 Pro, the most visually impressive way to play games on PlayStation | PlayStation Blog
• An important update on Concord | PlayStation Blog
• Take This is in Danger of Closing Forever | Take This
• This was essentially a two-week long DDoS attack': Game UI Database slowdown caused by relentless OpenAI scraping | Game Developer
• A message to our community: Unity is canceling the Runtime Fee | Unity
• GameStop Discloses Second Quarter 2024 Results | GameStop
• Microsoft lays off 650 more Xbox employees | The Verge
• Tilting Point making layoffs that could impact 20 percent of global workforce | Game Developer
• Rocksteady hit by layoffs after Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League underperforms | Eurogamer
• Helldivers 2 support studio Toadman Interactive to shut offices in Sweden and Norway | Games Industry
• Tencent, NetEase Rethink Japan Approach as Game Strategy Stalls | Bloomberg (Paywall)
• Lost Boys Interactive has Initiating Another Round of Layoffs | Lost Boys Interactive on LinkedIn
• Merge Games closes Chelford office and announces layoffs | Games Industry
• Until Dawn remake studio Ballistic Moon lays off staff ahead of the game's release in October | Eurogamer
• Incubator Dutch Game Garden shuts down in January 2025 | GamesBeat
• 3 months after firing Dr Disrespect, Deadrop developer Midnight Society confirms 'significant' layoffs | PC Gamer

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• Remedy and Annapurna announce a strategic cooperation agreement on Control 2 | Remedy
• Annapurna Video-Game Team Resigns, Leaving Partners Scrambling | Bloomberg (Paywall)
• Hopoo Games (Risk of Rain) Developers Join Valve | Hopoo Games (@hopoogames) on Twitter
• Some Good News for Timbre Games | Joe Nickolls on LinkedIn
• Nexon to Establish MINTROCKET Corporation | Nexon
• Urgent Call for Strategic and Structural Changes at Ubisoft Entertainment | AJ Investments
• Embracer Group receives early payment for sale of Saber assets. | Embracer Group