China’s Regulations / Microsoft & EA Earnings / Apple’s Legal Challenges

China’s Regulations / Microsoft & EA Earnings / Apple’s Legal Challenges

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad dives into the public reversal of China’s proposed bans on game monetization tactics, plus ponders the future of these regulations and their impact on Chinese game stocks. We then shift focus to Tencent’s CEO’s candid reflections on the company’s 2023 gaming performance and its hopeful outlook on AI for…

Between the Lines: Eastern Europe’s Gaming Market

Between the Lines: Eastern Europe’s Gaming Market

It is known that the gaming scene in CIS has political, legal, and regulatory challenges that make it hard to develop games or deploy investments into the region. But if you do it right, my guests, Maria Kochmola, Managing Partner at The Games Fund, and Arseny Lebedev, CEO and Co-Founder at Original Games, think it’s worth it….

Palworld Explodes / Riot Scales Back / Newzoo’s 2024 Report

Palworld Explodes / Riot Scales Back / Newzoo’s 2024 Report

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad dives into the booming success of Palworld, a game that’s been dubbed “Pokemon with guns,” and explores why it’s capturing everyone’s curiosity. We then shift gears to discuss Riot’s recent pullback (layoffs and game pivots) and what this could mean for other projects in the works. The conversation then…

Valve’s Daily Deals / Activision Blizzard & NetEase Reconcile / Apple’s 27% Fee

Valve’s Daily Deals / Activision Blizzard & NetEase Reconcile / Apple’s 27% Fee

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad begins by discussing Stumble Guys’ move to Xbox, which will now compete head-to-head with Fall Guys. We then shift gears to Valve’s new initiative, testing an invite-only system that empowers developers to schedule their own daily deals, alongside a reverse in policy that now allows AI-utilizing games (given certain…

CES Takeaways / Subscription Strategy Changes / Second Dinner’s $100M Raise

CES Takeaways / Subscription Strategy Changes / Second Dinner’s $100M Raise

In this week’s Roundtable, we explore the gaming highlights from the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show and joke about what trends are peaking in ridiculous ways (AI-powered egg cartons, anyone?). We then dive into a couple strategy changes being discussed by leading subscription businesses: first, how Netflix is reportedly rethinking ways to monetize games, and, second,…

Nexon’s CEO on Leaving a Legacy, Fostering Talent, & AI in Games

Nexon’s CEO on Leaving a Legacy, Fostering Talent, & AI in Games

Owen Mahoney, CEO of Nexon, is back for another phenomenal conversation – this time on the heels of the announcement that Owen is soon stepping down from the CEO role after a decade of market-beating performance. He and host, Aaron Bush, discuss Owen’s legacy at Nexon, what he wished he knew about being CEO when he…

Game Awards Stats / VR Struggles / China Regulations / Square Enix Letter

Game Awards Stats / VR Struggles / China Regulations / Square Enix Letter

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad kicks off with a deep dive into the Game Awards’ staggering 118 million viewers, surpassing even the Super Bowl, and what this means for gaming’s place in mainstream culture. We then shift gears to a recent Omdia report revealing VR’s struggles, debating why it’s floundering and what could turn…