The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast

The GI.Biz Team
  • 4.0 (21)
  • VIDEO GAMES
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY
The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast

Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring, two business journalists with more than 35 years' combined experience, as 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.

  1. 11 NOV

    How Nintendo's past will shore up Switch 2's future

    Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring as 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. Our main topic this week is Nintendo's long-awaited (but very much expected) confirmation that Switch 2 will be backwards compatible with both its predecessor's software library and its online service. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this crossover, as well as the importance of backwards compatibility when launching a new console in today's industry. And financials season continues, bringing with it a host of related stories and discussions. This week, we touch on Take-Two's decision to sell Private Division, Sony leadership's thoughts on why Concord failed, the independence of Amplitude Studios and more. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min
  2. Call of Duty flies, Concord falls

    4 NOV

    Call of Duty flies, Concord falls

    Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring as 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. It's financials seasons, so we discuss the highs and lows from some of the biggest publishers, including Electronic Arts, Ubisoft and Xbox. Naturally, the latter comes hand-in-hand with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and how its launch smashed series records. Elsewhere, we discuss Sony's decision to shut down two studios, including Concord developer Firewalk. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    24 min
  3. How video games conquered Hollywood

    28 OCT

    How video games conquered Hollywood

    Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring as 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. This time, we're joined at MCM x EGX by Big Fan Games' Amanda Kruse to talk about the evolving ways in which video games adapt IP from other forms of entertainment - and vice versa. We also discuss how having the right talent that has grown up with video games is driving the wave of great adaptations we've seen, and how video games have come from being merchandise released alongside new films. Elsewhere, we discuss the biggest news from the past week, including a key legal win for EA, a loss for Sony, and the potential for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 to drive Game Pass subscriptions. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min
  4. Is AA dead?

    21 OCT

    Is AA dead?

    Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring as 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. This time, our main topic centres around comments by former Sony boss Shawn Layden, who declared that not only is the AA space dead but its loss is a threat to the entire games ecosystem. Chris and James unpack his statement and the nuances around it, as well as discussing the opportunities for lower-budget titles in a market seemingly dominated by AAA blockbusters. We also discuss the biggest news of the past week, including IO and Build A Rocket Boy's publishing partnership, new leadership at Xbox Game Studios, updates on the SAG-AFTRA strike and ongoing industry layoffs, and more. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    42 min
  5. Opening up Google Play offers publishers a three-year window to change mobile gaming

    14 OCT

    Opening up Google Play offers publishers a three-year window to change mobile gaming

    Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring as 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. For our main discussions, we're joined by MobileGamer.biz's Neil Long to discuss the recent US court ruling that opens Google Play to rival app stores. We discuss the impact this might have on both Google and game developers, and why heavyweights like Epic Games, Xbox and other potential store operators need to make the most of the next three years in order to shift the dynamics of a mobile ecosystem dominated by two platform holders. In other headlines, we talk about the Roblox report that accused the company of inflating metrics for investors (among other things), and a slew of new studios emerging from stealth. Meanwhile, in this week's 'What Do The Numbers Mean?', Chris gives us deeper insight into the ongoing digitisation of video games - and why physical releases are still important. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    45 min
  6. The perks and perils of licensed games, and games journalism's ongoing struggle

    7 OCT

    The perks and perils of licensed games, and games journalism's ongoing struggle

    Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring as 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. This week, we use Devolver's unveiling of Big Fan Games - a new publishing label dedicated to indies working on licensed and other established IP - as a jumping off point to discuss the market for video game adaptations. Ranging wildly in scope and quality, there have been examples over the years that licensed games don't always print money in the way publishers might hope - we discuss the many reasons behind this, and the potential for indies who get the chance to work on major IP. Other headlines we discuss is Epic Games' latest lawsuit against Google, the closure of Play Magazine, the death of HoloLens, and Palworld coming to mobile. Finally, in 'What Do The Numbers Mean?', Chris looks at the early performance of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min
  7. Microcast: Will Assassin's Creed Shadows suffer from its delay?

    30 SEPT

    Microcast: Will Assassin's Creed Shadows suffer from its delay?

    Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring as 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. This week, our main topic is Ubisoft not only delaying Assassin's Creed Shadows to February 2025, but also drop the season pass model and launch an internal review into its games strategy following softer than expected sales for Star Wars Outlaws. We discuss the implications of the delay, the toxic response to some of Ubisoft's titles from certain corners of the internet, and how Ubisoft might recover from the setbacks it has faced Elsewhere on this episode, we discuss recent headlines such as Sony's State of Play, Xbox's growth in Asia, Stellarblade's lawsuit against Stellar Blade and the most recent layoffs. Meanwhile in 'What Do The Numbers Mean?', Chris shares insights into how EA Sports FC is faring since Electronic Arts dropped the FIFA licence and the success this year's release has seen from its special edition (which grants early access to the game). 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min
  8. Microcast: The Pokémon vs Palworld legal battle we did (and didn't) expect

    23 SEPT

    Microcast: The Pokémon vs Palworld legal battle we did (and didn't) expect

    Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring as 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. This week, the big story is Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are taking legal action against Pocketpair developer Palworld. We dig into why this is not the lawsuit so many consumers expected after the game was originally announced, which patents may be at the centre of this dispute, and the potential motivations behind these two major companies calling on their lawyers. Elsewhere on this episode, we discuss recent headlines such as EA's investor day, Australia's new rules on in-game gambling imagery and loot boxes, and the return of Flappy Bird. And in What Do The Numbers Mean? we take a deeper look at how well Astro Bot has performed. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min
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4
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Welcome to the weekly GI Microcast giving you the latest in video games news. Join James Batchelor and Chris Dring, two business journalists with more than 35 years' combined experience, as 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.

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