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 (to the extent that we can, given how early into the transition period we are) our change of ownership with IGN parent Ziff Davis acquiring Gamer Network Ltd and its brands, which includes GamesIndustry.biz and our sister sites Eurogamer, VG247, Rock Paper Shotgun and more.

We also talk about the new leadership at Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Games as well as the studio's ambitions for the future, which you can read more about in Chris' interview on the site.

Finally, we reflect on the impact of the other acquisitions announced last week; namely, Nintendo taking Shiver Entertainment off Embracer Group's hands, and Atari ending the first console war by snapping up the Intellivision brand.

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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 news from Sony regarding retired CEO Jim Ryan's replacement. Or rather, replacements. Plural. We reflect on the benefits of having long-serving execs like Herman Hulst and Hideaki Nishino in charge of PlayStation, as well as the challenges they face.

We also discuss the Stop Killing Games campaign, the UK government's response to it, and the wider shift we see in both the games industry and entertainment in general that is reflected by the rise of such a campaign.

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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 take a quick dive in Xbox's closure of four Bethesda-owned studios, as well as what this means for Microsoft's wider gaming strategy, the future of the smaller studios it still owns, and its reputation with the rest of the industry and gamers.

We also discuss Nintendo's first official word on Switch 2 - or, as it should be called, New Nintendo Switch U XL - as well as the platform holder's financials, and why the market really needs a new console before Christmas 2025.

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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 reported troubles at Take-Two with claims that indie-focused label Private Division, Rollerdrome developer Roll7 and Kerbal Space Program 2 studio Intercept Games were all affected (and, in some cases, closed) by the planned 580 layoffs.

We also reflect on Microsoft's most recent financials, the decline in Xbox hardware sales, and why there is so much more to talk about with the platform holder than how many boxes it has sold. And Chris got caught up in the 'frames per second' debate, which gives us a good excuse to remind you of upcoming editorial event GI Sprint.

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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, Chris and James are joined by Neil Long, founder and editor of MobileGamer.biz to discuss Embracer's announcement that it will be splitting into three companies. We reflect on the ramifications of this separation, as well as what led to this point, and draw on some of the key takeaways from our interview with CEO Lars Wingefors.

We also talk about the potential implications of the US' proposed ban on TikTok, and Long tells us why Supercell's Squad Busters - the Clash of Clans firm's first global launch in five years - could well be the 'GTA 6 of the mobile world.'

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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, James and Chris are joined by Skillfull founder Gina Jackson to discuss her recent report on the skills crisis in the UK games industry (and the wider industry), as well as the systemic issues that need to be addressed in order to fix it.

The episode also discusses Rare's new solar-powered Barn X and how the success of the Fallout TV show is boosting the games' sales.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz, and you can get all the biggest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to the GI Daily at www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters.

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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, Chris and James discuss this year's BAFTA Games Awards, the array of winners, and the vibe among industry professionals - both at the ceremony and the London Developer Conference that was held earlier in the day.

The episode also explores some of the key takeaways from the conference, such as Newzoo's revelation of how few play hours everyone is competing for, as well as the latest discussions around the ongoing waves of layoffs, including the IGDA's call for more action to prevent or minimise them.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.

Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Chris' recent revelation that developers are finding it hard to justify supporting the platform, to Xbox boss Phil Spencer's suggestion that the console could open up to third-party stores.

We also discuss last week's big studio sales, including Embracer's $460m sale of Gearbox to Take-Two and Relic's breakaway from Sega to become an independent developer.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz, and you can get all the biggest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to the GI Daily at www.gamesindustry.biz/newsletters.

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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 Pro specs and what impact (if any) a mid-gen refresh might have for the console, why publishers and developers may be deprioritising Xbox, and the potential for AI initiatives such as Ubisoft's Neo NPCs.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz. Remember to sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox

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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 studios, as well as which operating groups and subsidiaries the troubled publisher might divest next.

We also reflect on the stumbles made by PlayStation VR 2 as reports suggest production has been paused to clear a surplus of unsold units, and dive into some of the key takeaways from Unity's 2024 gaming report.

As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz, and be sure to sign up to the GI Daily newsletter to get the biggest news delivered straight to your inbox.

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