Virtual Legality

By Richard HoegNews Leisure Video Games News Commentary

Virtual Legality episodes

March 29, 2019 Virtual Legality #42 - Borderlands 3: Magic, Messaging, and the State of the Industry (Hoeg Law)
null
(0:00) Opening
(1:03) Borderlands 3
(10:12) Borderlands 3 Announcement
(10:47) Borderlands 3 Trailer
(12:29) Battlefield 5 Announcement
25 min
March 29, 2019 Virtual Legality #42 - Borderlands 3: Magic, Messaging, and the State of the Industry (Hoeg Law)
null
(0:00) Opening
(1:03) Borderlands 3
(10:12) Borderlands 3 Announcement
(10:47) Borderlands 3 Trailer
(12:29) Battlefield 5 Announcement
25 min
March 27, 2019 Virtual Legality 41 - EA And Activision Lay Off Hundreds: A Study In Messaging (Hoeg Law)
Electronic Arts announces layoffs of 350; Activision 800. The reasons given for the reorganizations are very similar, but one announcement has been treated very differently from the other.
What did EA say about its restructuring, and how did it say it?
Why is the perception of Activision's move so much worse?
And why does the launch of Apex Legends mean that we may see more statements like these in the months and years to come?
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/sup2EN-TSTg
#EA #Activision #VirtualLegality
***
Discussed in this episode:
"Electronic Arts lays off 350 employees in the wake of disastrous earnings"
GameDailyBiz - March 26, 2019 - Amanda Farough
(https://gamedaily.biz/article/725/electronic-arts-lays-off-350-employees-in-the-wake-of-disastrous-earnings)
"UPDATING OUR ORGANIZATION AND ADDRESSING OUR CHALLENGES"
EA Blog Post - March 27, 2019
(https://www.ea.com/news/an-update-on-our-organization)
"Blizzard Hit With 209 Layoffs as Part of Activision Blizzard Restructuring"
Variety - March 8, 2019 - Brian Crecente
(https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/blizzard-hit-with-209-layoffs-as-part-of-activision-blizzard-restructuring-1203158334/)
"Activision Blizzard, Inc. (ATVI) CEO Bobby Kotick on Q4 2018 Results - Earnings Call Transcript"
SeekingAlpha, February 12, 2019
(https://seekingalpha.com/article/4240392-activision-blizzard-inc-atvi-ceo-bobby-kotick-q4-2018-results-earnings-call-transcript)
"Truly Sad News."
Hoeg Law Tweet - March 26, 2019
(https://twitter.com/HoegLaw/status/1110567013582286848)
SUPPLEMENTAL:
"Telltale has been hit with a WARN Act class action lawsuit [Update]"
GameDailyBiz - September 25, 2018 - Mike Futter
(https://gamedaily.biz/article/266/telltale-may-find-itself-in-legal-trouble-regarding-layoffs)
"Death of Dreams: What Happens When Game Studios Shut Down"
Variety - November 23, 2018 - Mike Futter
(https://variety.com/2018/gaming/columns/game-studio-shut-downs-1203035448/)
***
FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:
On Twitter @hoeglaw
At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/
On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/
On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers)
(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA)
Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050
33 min
March 27, 2019 Virtual Legality #41 - EA and Activision Lay Off Hundreds: A Study in Messaging (Hoeg Law)
null
33 min
March 25, 2019 Virtual Legality 40 - Apple Arcade: Will Pay-Per-Minute Spell Doom For Mobile Games? (Hoeg Law)
Apple has joined the subscription service revolution (in more ways than one), and with Apple Arcade the tech giant is trying to revolutionize the way game developers are paid, as well.
What effects can we expect a "pay-by-the-minute" division of revenues to have on developers and the games they develop?
Why do some think it marks a fundamental shift in the future of mobile?
And why am I not quite so sure?
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/0vFuYZtZkM4
#AppleArcade #RevenueShare #VirtualLegality
***
Discussed in this episode:
"Apple unveils Arcade service to launch this fall with 100 exclusive games"
GameDailyBiz, March 25, 2019 (Amanda Farough)
(https://gamedaily.biz/article/722/apple-unveils-arcade-service-to-launch-this-fall-with-100-exclusive-games)
Mat Piscatella Twitter Thread
March 25, 2019
(https://twitter.com/MatPiscatella/status/1110241186550145029)
***
FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:
On Twitter @hoeglaw
At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/
On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/
On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers)
(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA)
Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050
32 min
March 25, 2019 Virtual Legality #40 - Apple Arcade: Will Pay-Per-Minute Spell Doom for Mobile Games? (Hoeg Law)
null
(0:00) Intro
(0:42) Apple Arcade
(5:23) Apple Arcade Details
(6:58) Matt Piscatellas Thoughts
(11:33) Daily Gab
(14:57) Matts Baseline Tweet
(18:28) Matts Response
(26:49) What It Means for Game Development
32 min
March 25, 2019 Virtual Legality #40 - Apple Arcade: Will Pay-Per-Minute Spell Doom for Mobile Games? (Hoeg Law)
null
(0:00) Intro
(0:42) Apple Arcade
(5:23) Apple Arcade Details
(6:58) Matt Piscatellas Thoughts
(11:33) Daily Gab
(14:57) Matts Baseline Tweet
(18:28) Matts Response
(26:49) What It Means for Game Development
32 min
March 24, 2019 Virtual Legality 39 - Games Stopped: What Sony's Retail Cut Off Means For Gaming's Digital Future
The leak of a GameStop internal memorandum suggests that Sony is doing away with the physical sale of full game digital download codes. It may seem like a small thing, but is it?
Why might Sony have made this move?
What impact will it have on GameStop?
How does GameStop envision its future in the ever-changing landscape of the gaming industry?
And what hints can we take from this on the future of Playstation, the Next Xbox, Google Stadia, and beyond?
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/T64-pERVJCQ
#GameStop #Sony #VirtualLegality
***
Discussed in this episode:
"Sony to Stop Selling Full Game Digital Download Codes at Retail"
PushSquare, March 22, 2019
(http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2019/03/sony_to_stop_selling_full_game_digital_download_codes_at_retail)
Gamestop Memo on end of Sony Digital Code Sales
via Wario64 (Tweet)
(https://twitter.com/Wario64/status/1109211277975416832)
"GameStop names former Victra, Advance Auto Parts exec as its new CEO"
VentureBeat (Jeff Grubb), March 21, 2019
(https://venturebeat.com/2019/03/21/gamestop-new-ceo/)
***
FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:
On Twitter @hoeglaw
At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/
On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/
On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers)
(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA)
Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050
34 min
March 24, 2019 Virtual Legality #39 - Games Stopped: What Sony's Retail Cut Off means for Gaming's Digital Future
null
(0:00) Disclaimer
(0:42) Introduction
(4:53) GameStop memo
(6:12) Questions
(7:50) What will happen
(9:35) How does this affect guests
(10:46) What does this mean
(12:03) Data Privacy
(12:46) Impact on Customers
(15:17) Gamestop Digital Downloads
(16:23) Reddit Reset Area
(17:08) Does Epic Have Keys
(18:36) Will Sony Offend Game Stop
(20:06) New Game Stop CEO
(22:03) GameStop 20
(24:12) The Future of Retail
(26:02) The Digital Future
(28:34) Corporate Decisions
34 min
March 21, 2019 Virtual Legality 38 - Lucasfilm Games, Electronic Arts, And The Future Of Star Wars (Hoeg Law)
With new job postings being made by Lucasfilm and Disney to staff up "Lucasfilm Games", questions abound as to just what role Disney intends to have in the future of Star Wars video game production.
What is Lucasfilm Games, and what do the job postings have to say about the relationship between Disney and licensees like Electronic Arts?
How does an exclusive license to intellectual property (IP) work, when might Disney be able to get out of it, and most importantly, would it even want to?
What is brand management, and why do the job descriptions for the positions at Lucasfilm Games suggest a more robust licensor/licensee relationship rather than the opposite?
And what does it all mean for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and the rest of the Lucasfilm portfolio?
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/ScZChL2X0Vg
#Lucasfilm #EA #StarWars
***
Discussed in this episode:
"Lucasfilm Games has been unexpectedly resurrected by Disney"
PCGamer, March 20, 2019
(https://www.pcgamer.com/lucasfilm-games-has-been-unexpectedly-resurrected-by-disney/)
"Disney reaffirms commitment to EA in wake of Lucasfilm Games job postings"
PCGamesN, March 20, 2019
(https://www.pcgamesn.com/lucasfilm-games-revival?tw=pcgn_ne)
"Lucasfilm Games is a thing again?"
Tweet, Ashley Day, October 18, 2017
(https://twitter.com/jellyscare/status/920565813987495936)
"EA and Disney sign exclusive deal for rights to Star Wars games"
Polygon, May 6, 2013
(https://www.polygon.com/2013/5/6/4306022/ea-disney-star-wars-games-exclusive-rights)
"EA’s Troubled Decade Of Star Wars Games"
Kotaku, January 16, 2019
(https://kotaku.com/ea-s-troubled-decade-of-star-wars-games-1831807493)
"Disney May be Rebuilding Lucasfilm Games"
IGN, March 20, 2019
(https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/disney-may-be-reviving-lucasfilm-games)
***
FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:
On Twitter @hoeglaw
At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/
On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/
On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers)
(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA)
Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050
39 min

About Virtual Legality

From the publisher's feed

Virtual Legality is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).