Episode 154: What Happens When a $2B Deal Evaporates Overnight? (News Show)

On the eve of its earnings announcement, Embracer Group saw a nearly-signed $2B deal fall apart. We discuss the potential impact. Also: GameStop back in crisis, a huge number of layoffs, and the strange tale of Disco Elysium continues.

Note: We discuss Cyberpunk 2077 and the Phantom Liberty DLC during this episode. While we were confused that Phantom Liberty was a no-show during Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest presentation, the game did make an appearance during the Xbox event.

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TIME STAMPS

• [00:02:11] - Embracer Group Earnings for FY23
• [00:10:02] - Sony Business Segment Meeting - New Data
• [00:21:25] - GameStop Earnings for Q1 2023
• [00:29:11] - Investment Interlude
• [00:38:38] - Quick Hits
• [00:57:28] - Labor Report
• [01:19:48] - Microsoft Hit with $20M COPPA Violation Fine 
• [01:23:51] - Apple's Vision Pro and the $3,500 Price Tag

SOURCES

• Embracer Group Interim Report - Q4 and FY23 | Embracer Group
• Sony Business Segment Meeting 2023 Game & Network Services Segment | Sony
• CD Projekt Q1 2023 Earnings | CD Projekt
• GameStop Discloses First Quarter 2023 Results | GameStop
• Rising Storm studio Antimatter Games is being closed | PC Gamer
• Stranger Things 3 game developer BonusXP to close down | Game Developer
• Kirby support developer Vanpool has shut down | Game Developer
• Relic Layoffs | Relic Entertainment (@relicgames) on Twitter
• Life is Strange dev Deck Nine Games hit with staff layoffs | Game Developer
• Firaxis is latest video game studio hit by layoffs | Axios
• CD Projekt Red to Lay Off Around 30 Employees as Gwent Development Winds Down | IGN
• Redundancies hit Marvel Contest of Champions publisher Kabam | GamesIndustry
• Meta is laying off employees for the third time in less than three months | Engadget
• EA reportedly lays off two thirds of Firemonkeys Studio | GamesIndustry
• Star Wars: The Old Republic Going Third-Party as BioWare Focuses on Mass Effect and Dragon Age
• Bandcamp has successfully unionized at Epic Games | Game Developer
• Many teams, one Goodbye. Thank you for playing Blaseball. | The Game Band
• Investigation: Who's Telling the Truth about Disco Elysium? | People Make Games
• FTC Will Require Microsoft to Pay $20 million | FTC
• Xbox FTC Settlement and Reimagining the Future of Safety on Xbox | Microsoft

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• NetEase Games Introduces Bad Brain Game Studios, a New Studio Based in Canada | PR Newswire
• God of War Art Director Raf Grassetti forms new studio for Netflix | Raf Grassetti (@rafagrassetti) on Twitter
• Shareholders call for a sale of EG7 | GamesIndustry