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In this episode...
--> Square Enix embarking on "aggressive multiplatform strategy" as profits drop 70%
--> EA Considering In-Game Advertising, But Will Take "Thoughtful" Approach
--> The season of game company gaffes continues with NetEase apologizing for a Marvel Rivals preview contract that asked streamers not to make 'subjective negative reviews of the game

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Hosts: donniegretro, retrogamebrews, wrytersview
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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Gamers Week is back from hiatus, and what a wonderful time to return! Sony and Xbox seem to be duking it out this week to see which one can make the most baffling, business-killing decision.

First it was Sony's surprise requirement that Helldivers 2 would require a PSN account to play on Steam (a decision it quickly walked back due to player outrage). Next it was Xbox's mystifying announcement that it's closing a handful of studios, including Tango Gameworks (makers of Hi-Fi RUSH, one of the best games of 2023).

We discuss these mind-blowing moves and wonder... do these two gaming behemoths have any clue what they're doing anymore?

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Hosts: retrogamebrews, donniegretro, wrytersview
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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The 2024 finalists for the Strong Museum's Video Game Hall of Fame have been announced, highlighting another selection of influential titles from across multiple eras. This week, we're taking a break from the doom and gloom of recent video game headlines to play Keep It or Kill It with the 40 games that have been voted into the Hall of Fame since inductions began in 2015.

We'll also be talking about how Sony has stopped producing PSVR2 amid a “surplus” of unsold units, how Epic Games' Fortnite will now allow creators to build and profit from their own "official" Lego Islands games, and how LinkedIn is planning to add gaming to its platform.

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- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
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Hosts: donniegretro, retrogamebrews, wrytersview
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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Shockingly, Nintendo has decided that it likes having a $1.3 billion grossing movie and would like another. On Mar10 Day, Shigeru Miyamoto graced the internet with the announcement that the company is hard at work on a sequel to the wildly successful Super Mario Bros. movie. But that wasn't the only news we got last week about video game film adaptations, and we're joined by Ben Magnet of the Basement Arcade Pause Menu Podcast to look at a roundup of movie headlines.

We'll also be talking about how Circana's Mat Piscatella has called GTA 6  the most important thing "to ever release in the industry, so no pressure," how Hasbro says Baldur's Gate 3 is "just the first of several new video games" to come, and how former CEO of Activision Blizzard Bobby Kotick is apparently interested in buying TikTok as a new bill in the US threatens to either ban the app or force its sale.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. This week, we're looking at Street Fighter: The Movie, the game.

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Hosts: retrogamebrews, wrytersview, BenMagnet27
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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For the last several months, it seems like video game news has been little more than a layoff-of-the-week carousel. With a fairly bleak release schedule ahead, upcoming projects getting canceled left and right, and the industry as a whole barely recognizable from the pandemic booms just a few years ago, it's worth asking... are we on the brink of another video game crash? Spoiler: No, but we discuss the reasons it seems that way and what we think may be happening instead.

We'll also be talking about how the developer of the Switch emulator Yuzu will pay $2.4 million to settle with Nintendo a mere week after news of the lawsuit broke, how Rooster Teeth (the company behind the popular Halo parody Red vs. Blue) is shutting down after 21 years, and how the Alan Wake 2 composer "violated one piano with adult toys" to create the horror game's nightmarish soundtrack.

Finally, Donnie takes us all the way back to March 1996 in Retro Rewind.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
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Hosts: wrytersview, donniegretro, retrogamebrews
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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Lay Off Fest 2K24 continues as Sony announced on Tuesday it will be laying off 8% of PlayStation employees around the world, or 900 people. The layoffs will affect even major PlayStation studios (such as Naughty Dog, Insomniac, Guerilla Games, etc.) that are home to some of the company's most successful IP, like The Last of Us, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon Zero Dawn, and more. We're joined by SanityCrypto of It's Virtually A Podcast to discuss the state of the industry, what the heck is happening at Sony, and how games released five or so years from now will be affected by the mass layoffs in the gaming industry in 2023 and 2024.

We'll also be talking about how Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against Switch emulator Yuzu alleging that the software had helped enable the illegal downloading of one million copies of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and how indie podcast network Realm has appointed Peter Levin to its board of advisors to help them adapt video game IPs into podcasts.

Finally, class is in session in our Gaming History 101 segment. This week, we're looking at the Tomb Raider theme park ride.

Want more SanityCrypto?
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We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
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Hosts: donniegretro, wrytersview, SanityCrypto
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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With PlayStation's recent announcement that it won't have any new entries in its major first party IP this year and Xbox's big "business update" being little more than a meeting that should have been an email, it's time to admit it -- the console wars just aren't what they used to be. In fact, it seems like both Sony and Microsoft have different ambitions altogether. We're joined by RedAuxPDX and Ducks in Disguise of Pixel Pond production company to talk about the future of consoles, console wars, and whatever the next big technological jump may be.

We'll also be talking about the new trailer for the Borderlands movie adaptation, how Respawn is developing a first-person Star Wars Mandalorian game, and how the 1997 cult film Starship Troopers is getting a new lease on life thanks to the popularity of Helldivers 2.

Finally, class is in session in our Gaming History 101 segment. This week, we're looking at the Nokia N-Gage.

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We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
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Hosts: wrytersview, donniegretro, redauxpdx, ducksindisguise
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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A new report is shedding light on just how much EA invested in its single-player FPS Immortals of Aveum, which received mixed reviews and was deemed a financial flop, resulting in about 45% of the studio's workforce being laid off shortly after release. The studio's CEO blames the packed release schedule of 2023 that put Immortals of Aveum up against behemoths like Diablo 4, Tears of the Kingdom, and Baldur's Gate 3. But developers who actually worked on the game are telling a different story. We're joined by Bill Tucker, host of A Gamer Looks At 40 Podcast, to discuss the reasons why Immortals of Aveum may have failed, as well as what it might mean for the future of AAA games.

We'll also be talking about the new study that shows more gamers than ever are identifying as LGBTQ, how the developers behind the upcoming and long-awaited Silent Hill 2 remake are blaming Konami for the game's poorly received combat trailer, and how gaming's least famous but most recognizable voice has broken cover to chat PEGI 18 and his €200 paycheck.

Finally, class is in session in our Gaming History 101 segment. This week, we're looking at defunct retail chains that sold video games despite not being gaming-focused stores.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw
- Visit A Gamer Looks At 40 at linktr.ee/agamerlooksat40

Hosts: donniegretro, wrytersview, agamerlooksat40
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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Rumors have been in circulation for weeks that Microsoft might publish some of its exclusive games on competing consoles. Microsoft has neither publicly confirmed nor denied the report, but on Monday, Xbox boss Phil Spencer posted on X, “We're listening and we hear you. We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned.” As the internet predictably freaks out, we're joined by Zach Hugethanks of "Absolutely the Best Podcast: A Work in Progress" to discuss the road ahead for Xbox and make predictions about next week's big event.

We'll also be talking about how the FTC has hit Microsoft with a federal complaint over the company's game division layoffs, how Disney is buying a $1.5 billion equity stake in Epic Games and kicking off a multiyear project with the studio that'll see a new "persistent universe" of familiar properties, and how Kurt Russell has opened up about why he didn’t voice Solid Snake in Hideo Kojima’s original Metal Gear Solid.

Finally, Donnie takes us all the way back to February 1994 in Retro Rewind.

Find more Zach Hugethanks at linktr.ee/absolutelythebest

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw
- Visit A Gamer Looks At 40 at linktr.ee/agamerlooksat40

Hosts: wrytersview, donniegretro, Zach Hugethanks
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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Sony's first State of Play of 2024 brought over 40 minutes of updates on more than 15 games coming to PlayStation consoles, including Rise of The Ronin, Stellar Blade, Death Stranding 2, Sonic x Shadow Generations, and more. We discuss all the biggest announcements from the showcase, including our favorites and... not so favorites.

We'll also be talking about how Microsoft’s Xbox brand is now reporting record growth following last week's mass layoffs, how searches for "Suicide Squad refund" surged 791% following the game's early access launch disaster, and how Arzette, the love letter to the CD-i Zelda games, will also be reviving the console's awful controller.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Nostalgia 101 segment. This week, Ryan is sharing his favorites from the TGIF tv lineup.

 We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw
- Visit A Gamer Looks At 40 at linktr.ee/agamerlooksat40

Hosts: retrogamebrews, donniegretro, wrytersview
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show