Your humble Trashgirls talk hard stuff!

Like (smuggling) ships passing in the night.

Games we played this week include:

Alan Wake II (5:05)

Thirsty Suitors (17:05)

Robocop: Rogue City (35:05)

Dave the Diver (38:55)

WarioWare: Move It (1:07:50)

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News things talked about in this episode:

Out of the blue, a live-action Zelda film is announced (52:10)

https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/7/23951339/the-legend-of-zelda-movie-live-action-nintendo

Microsoft going all-in on AI game dev tools (55:35)

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/microsoft-and-inworld-team-up-to-create-ai-game-dev-tools

Nintendo denies anyone has seen Switch 2 (1:07:05)

https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-addresses-switch-2-reports-denies-it-has-briefed-developers

SEGA executive wants Sonic to surpass Mario as a franchise (1:10:40)

https://noisypixel.net/sega-wants-sonic-games-movies-surpass-mario/

Epic Store still losing money, expected to own half of PC market by now (1:14:30)

Ubisoft lays off another batch of employees (1:16:00)

https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-montreal-latest-studio-struck-by-layoffs

---

Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at thejimporium.com

Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday.

Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Twitter/Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at mercenarycreative.com.

Somebody is going to need to step up.

Games we played this week include:

Alan Wake II (6:10)

Dave the Diver (47:22)

Robocop (54:14)

Spin Rhythm XD (1:07:50)

Lords of the Fallen (1:09:25)

---

News things talked about in this episode:

Bungie lays off a hundred employees, delays projects (1:15:55)

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/30/23938990/bungie-sony-layoffs-delays-destiny-final-shape-marathon

Microsoft warns it will soon disable unlicensed peripherals on Xbox (1:03:20)

https://variablemag.com/games/microsoft-banning-unauthorized-xbox-controllers-and-accessories/

Nintendo announces new restrictions on events involving their products (1:22:45)

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Legal-information/Community-Tournament-Guidelines-2467744.html

Ubisoft Chief People Officer announces her departure (1:24:10)

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/zen-studios-reportedly-has-more-than-30-redundancies

---

Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at thejimporium.com

Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday.

Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Twitter/Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at mercenarycreative.com.

That part isn’t supposed to do that.

Games we played this week include:

Super Mario Bros. Wonder (8:15)

Sonic Superstars (38:45)

Sorry, We’re Closed (40:10)

Ebenezer and the Invisible World (44:25)

Vampire Survivors (49:25)

Meta Quest 3 (49:50)

Smash Drums (51:05)

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection (52:55)

---

News things talked about in this episode:

Game about drunk driving pulled from eShop for 3+ age rating (1:01:05)

https://www.techradar.com/gaming/nintendo-switch/drink-and-drive-simulator-pulled-from-switch-eshop-after-releasing-with-a-pegi-3-age-rating

Skull Island devs were given a year to develop, most of it crunch (1:03:20)

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/20/23925326/skull-island-rise-of-kong-development-gamemill-entertainment

Doug Bowser says Nintendo of America employees too happy to want a union (1:09:05)

https://www.inverse.com/gaming/doug-bowser-super-mario-bros-wonder-switch-2-nintendo-union

Embracer Group cuts staff at Zen Studios (1:13:20)

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/zen-studios-reportedly-has-more-than-30-redundancies

---

Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at thejimporium.com

Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday.

Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Twitter/Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at mercenarycreative.com.

Photo Credit: Hellerhoff / CC BY-SA 3.0

We ask the hard questions... hard like an erect penis (boner).

Utterly drenched.

Games we played this week include:

Super Mario Bros. Wonder (8:30)

Sonic Superstars (18:30)

Amanda the Adventurer (37:15)

Spider-Man 2 (39:50)

Lords of the Fallen (47:30)

---

News things talked about in this episode:

Microsoft acquisition closed, Kotick expected to leave by end of year (1:17:05)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/10/13/activision-blizzard-ceo-bobby-kotick-set-to-leave-in-december-heres-what-to-know-about-his-controversies/

Microsoft promises not to interfere with union organizing for a couple months (1:21:30)

https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2022/06/02/employee-organizing-engagement-labor-economy/

PS5 Slim needs a $30 stand to go vertical (57:55)

https://www.thegamer.com/sony-playstation-5-slim-vertical-stand-sold-seperately/

Modders have already made Mario Wonder flower say naughty words (1:27:15)

https://www.ign.com/articles/super-mario-bros-wonder-mod-turns-talking-flowers-foul-mouthed-nintendo-quickly-takes-action

---

Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at thejimporium.com

Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday.

Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Twitter/Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at mercenarycreative.com.

This is all on the up and up, we promise.

Games we played this week include:

PS5 Access Controller (8:30)

Elemental Survivors (22:15)

Warhammer 40k: Darktide (33:50)

Stardew Valley (36:55)

GWAR: Rumble in Antarctica (40:30)

Forza Motorsport 2023 (44:10)

A Tiny Sticker Tale (55:00)

Whisker Squadron: Survival (57:05)

Another Crab’s Treasure (58:50)

---

News things talked about in this episode:

Bungie sued for wrongful termination by former HR manager (1:17:05)

https://www.ign.com/articles/former-bungie-hr-manager-is-suing-for-wrongful-termination-after-she-reported-potential-racial-bias

BioWare accused of underpaying severance for laid off workers (1:21:30)

https://www.eurogamer.net/former-dragon-age-staff-seek-further-compensation-following-layoffs

Recently unionized QA workers for BioWare all lost their jobs (57:55)

https://www.polygon.com/23903782/dragon-age-dreadwolf-qa-workers-laid-off-keywords-studios

Game developer union forms in Poland, including staff at CD Projekt Red (1:27:15)

https://www.eurogamer.net/cd-projekt-red-devs-unionise-after-its-third-round-of-layoffs-in-three-months

John Riccitello quietly slinks away from CEO post at Unity (1:13:50)

https://www.wired.com/story/john-riccitello-retires-unity-ceo-controversy/

Everything is okay at Ubisoft now, says Ubisoft, using Ubisoft surveys as evidence (1:16:20)

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/4/23901575/ubisoft-executives-arrest-sexual-harassment-investigation

As ABK merger set to close, Kotick inflicts one more torment on employees (1:22:00)

https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/activision-offers-a-timeframe-for-xbox-game-pass-inclusions-ahead-of-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3s-launch

---

Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at thejimporium.com

Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday.

Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Twitter/Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at mercenarycreative.com.

I want something else. Like a bed.

Games we played this week include:

El Paso Elsewhere (8:30)

Amanda the Adventurer (30:00)

Model Builder (35:00)

Deep Rock Galactic Survivor (49:30)

Forza Motorsport 2023 (56:20)

Dynasty Warriors 9 (1:02:10)

Helldivers (1:05:30)

---

News things talked about in this episode:

Epic lays off 16% of workers, gutting studios and seeking to liquidate assets (1:17:05)

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/epic-laying-off-more-than-800

Hatoful Boyfriend dev claims two years of royalties unpaid by Epic (1:21:30)

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/hatoful-boyfriend-dev-accuses-epic-of-unpaid-royalties

Fortnite to implement individual age ratings for all third-party content (57:55)

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/3/23899988/fortnite-creative-age-ratings

Team 17 also lays off workers (1:27:15)

https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/10/02/worms-dredge-publisher-team17-is-the-latest-to-be-hit-by-layoffs

Naughty Dog quietly severing developer contracts early

https://kotaku.com/naughty-dog-ps5-playstation-sony-last-us-part-3-layoffs-1850893794

Former Ubisoft executives arrested on charges of sexual assault (1:33:55)

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/4/23901575/ubisoft-executives-arrest-sexual-harassment-investigation

---

Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at thejimporium.com

Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday.

Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Twitter/Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at mercenarycreative.com.

Worship that? Never.

Games we played this week include:

Payday 3 (12:30)

Amanda the Adventurer (18:25)

Rewind or Die (24:30)

Sniper Killer (26:40)

Train Sim World 4 (34:00)

Pinball Wicked (36:55)

Xenotilt (38:55)

Trombone Champ (41:10)

Halls of Torment (46:50)

---

News things talked about in this episode:

CMA withdraws major objections to Microsoft acquisition of ABK (52:42)

https://gamerant.com/microsoft-activision-acquisition-cma-preliminary-approval/

More layoffs at Embracer Group, including Crystal Dynamics (50:45)

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/09/embracer-group-more-tough-decisions-to-come-as-crystal-dynamics-suffers-layoffs

Capcom issues statement on Microsoft desire to acquire them (57:55)

https://www.eurogamer.net/capcom-would-gracefully-decline-an-acquisition-offer-from-microsoft

SAG-AFTRA votes to approve voice actor strike (1:00:00)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/hollywoods-video-game-performers-authorize-strike-if-labor-talks-fail-2023-09-26/

---

Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at thejimporium.com

Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday.

Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Twitter/Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at mercenarycreative.com.

It’s really important you know that they’re on your side.

Games we played this week include:

Lies of P (16:00)

Solar Ash (17:35)

F-Zero 99 (20:20)

Nun Massacre (27:10)

No One Lives Under the Lighthouse (27:35)

Blood Wash (31:40)

Trombone Champ (39:55)

Gloomhaven (42:05)

MythForce (47:05)

---

News things talked about in this episode:

Microsoft leaks everything, like, everything, on FTC website (52:42)

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/19/23880165/xbox-leak-ftc-documents-new-xbox-series-x-controller-next-gen

Ubisoft Montreal workers get screwed by sudden “return-to-office” demands (1:13:15)

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/09/11/xbox-mastercard/

Unity makes a crap “apology” for runtime fees, but has not reversed course yet (1:37:30)

https://www.eurogamer.net/unity-apologises-for-confusion-and-angst-over-fee-changes

Terraria developer Re-Logic donated $200k to alternative game engines Godot and FNA (1:25:35)

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/re-logic-donating-100000-to-godot-and-fna-in-response-to-unity-backlash

Bobby Kotick might be only person outside of Nintendo to play a Switch 2

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/18/23878412/nintendo-switch-2-activision-briefing-next-gen-switch

---

Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at thejimporium.com

Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday.

Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Twitter/Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at mercenarycreative.com.