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The Game Business Show

Hosted by Christopher Dring

Christopher Dring hosts interviews, in-depth analysis and special features on what's truly going on in the video games industry.

www.thegamebusiness.com

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40 episodes
Avg 41 min
English

Episodes 40

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Thursday · 1 hr 6 min
How did PS5 boxed games sell in September? And the problem with industry consolidation
In today's bumper The Game Business Show, we're joined by leading analyst Joost van Dreunen as we discuss the perils and opportunities from a rapidly consolidating video game industry. We also reveal how the GTA 6 and Zelda reveals boosted console sales, how PS5 physical games performed last month, who came out top in September, and there's a small interview with Pearl Abyss Europe CEO Lybee Park about Crimson Desert, too. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
Tuesday · 41 min
How Undead Labs saved itself and State of Decay from oblivion
In this edition, we welcome Philip Holt, the boss of State of Decay developer Undead Labs. The studio has just declared its independence from Xbox, but has had to lay off a 'significant' number of staff as it prepares to release State of Decay 3 next year. We discuss the studio's new independence, why it didn't find a buyer, whether it has enough to finish the upcoming horror game, the business realities facing smaller teams and his "irresponsible" approach to transparency. Plus, lots more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
October 1 · 52 min
Games media crisis deepens, Bloober hunts weird horror titles, and New York Games Week soft launches
In today's bumper edition of the Show, we discuss the layoffs in the games media, plus we have two interviews. The first is with the leaders of Bloober Team and Broken Mirror Games about finding weird horror titles akin to Backrooms in the film world. Plus, we chat to New York Games Week's Guy Blomberg about the surprise soft launch of the event next week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 30 · 38 min
As a Battlefield studio, is Criterion Games really still Criterion?
We chat with four leaders from EA's Criterion studio about how it made Battlefield with three other international studios, and whether the studio is still the same one that made those Need for Speed and Burnout games. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 29 · 25 min
Tencent’s bid to create the next FromSoftware and Larian
In today's The Game Business Show, Chris speaks with Tencent’s Yong-yi Zhu at Gamescom. The two discuss Tencent's bid to find the next Larian or FromSoftware, the success of Chinese-made games in the West, the company's ambitions for Hollywood, and the advice he gives Tencent's huge army of studios. Enjoy. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 24 · 43 min
Is Xbox making the right decisions? Plus, how AI is (and isn’t) transforming game localization
In today's edition, Chris dives into the changes at Xbox and why the cuts - although brutal - are necessary and sensible. Plus, two leading localization experts chat about the challenges in releasing games in other markets, and the impact of AI on the translation sector. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 22 · 36 min
“We’ve been baptized in fire” – the new Rainbow Six boss on losing staff, Tencent, GTA and… Moana
We speak to the head of Rainbow Six: Siege Joshua Mills about the challenges that followed last year's major X update, the hack that took out the game over Christmas, life under new Tencent ownership, how to handle GTA 6, younger vs older players, and, erm, Moana. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 17 · 54 min
Five things we’ve learned about Japan’s games industry, plus how GTA 6 influenced Valor Mortis’ $40 price point
This week, we're joined by Japanese video game industry expert Dr Serkan Toto, and we talk about the state of the Japanese video game industry, the dominance of Nintendo, impact of China, the rise of PC and lots more.We then welcome Lyrical Games' Blake Rochkind to discuss the $40 price point of Valor Mortis, and why the publisher felt they had to go low during a hyper competitive moment for the video game industry. We also talk broadly about the rise of AA (or rather III) video games.Plus, Nex Playground secures more funding, and more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 16 · 43 min
Beyond Balatro and taking risks: Why Playstack doesn’t want a 100% hit rate
In this bonus edition of The Game Business Show, Chris talks to Balatro publisher PlayStack about how the hit poker game has transformed the company, why it's not looking for a 100% hit rate, and what it expects from its new owners. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 15 · 40 min
The shooter that Tencent abandoned: Wardogs hits 2m sales in one weekend
We speak to Joe Brammer, CEO of Bulkhead, which has just launched the smash hit 100-player first person tactical shooter Wardogs. Just nine months ago, the studio was under threat from going under after Tencent no-longer wanted the team. Now, it’s had one of the surprise hits of the year, with two million games sold in Early Access after just one weekend. In this interview, Brammer discusses the shock success of the game, the impact on the team, the reality of crunch within the studio, his attempt to run his own video game showcase, and how he’s looking to scale-up to handle the demand for Wardogs. Enjoy. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 10 · 42 min
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and GTA 6: The video game industry’s Barbenheimer moment
This week, Chris looks at the potential of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in the month GTA 6 launches, Ubisoft talks about its Player Council, Geoff launches a foundation, and Kojima gets closer to Xbox. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 8 · 54 min
“Some of the offers were actually offensive” – How Clutch found its publisher
We speak with Maverick Games bosses Harinder Sangha and Mike Brown about being dropped by Amazon, the "offensive" offers it received from other publishers, the state of the racing genre, taking on Forza, and its dream of becoming the greatest game developer in the world. It’s a good one! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 3 · 53 min
GTA 6 reveal causes Xbox and PlayStation sales to jump by a third
In today's edition, Chris shares the latest data from the GTA 6 Netflix reveal, including its impact on PS5 and Xbox Series S and X. Transcription by ESO. Translation byMeanwhile, Newzoo consultant Ronan Patrick comes on to discuss GTA 6, the fate of consoles, the rise of sequels, friendslop and more. Plus the latest stats from Gamescom! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
September 1 · 38 min
CD Projekt Red: If you want a cost-driven development, you cannot make The Witcher 4
We speak to CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michal Nowakowski about the switch to making multiple games, returning to The Witcher 3, why it released Cyberpunk 2077 too early, the fate of video game consoles, TV adaptations, The Witcher 4 and a whole lot more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
August 28 · 40 min
Assassin’s Creed creator Patrice Désilets: “I have two or three games left”
It’s our bumper Gamescom edition of The Game Business Show. In this edition, Patrice Désilets, the creator of Assassin’s Creed, speaks to us from Gamescom about the newly launched 1666: Amsterdam. He talks returning to Ancestors, and the reality that he may only have a few games left to make. We also chat with Raccoon Logic, specifically game veterans Alex Hutchinson (also a former Assassin’s Creed creative director) and Reid Schneider. We talk about their new hockey game Breakaway Hockey League, which was here in Cologne, and why they’ve had to abandon the old ways and embrace a new world. Finally, we offer a sneak peek at next week’s big interview featuring CD Projekt joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski. Oh, and we’ve all the big news from Gamescom. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
August 25 · 44 min
Unity CEO: “The cost of building a game is coming down markedly”
In today’s bumper edition of The Game Business Show, we chat to Unity CEO Matthew Bromberg about his '100% optimistic' view on the future of the video game industry. He also chats about the tech firm's turnaround, his approach to leadership, the AI ‘threat’, the future of consoles, Netflix, Unity’s friendship with Epic, the rise of China and Korea, and a whole lot more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
August 20 · 53 min
The video games most at risk from PlayStation’s physical switch-off
In today's edition of The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by Piers Harding-Rolls. The two discuss the potential impact of $1,000 game consoles (should they happen). The two also dive into the publishers that need to prepare fans for the moment PlayStation stops disc production in January 2028. (Check out our newsletter at TheGameBusiness.com that shows the types of games and companies most likely to be impacted by this decision).Chris is then joined by Felix Falk, the head of the german trade association and organizer of Gamescom. Felix talks about next week's event in Cologne, alongside the political angle for 2026. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
August 19 · 37 min
Arkane veterans Harvey Smith and Ben Horne reunite: “We’re back to the games we love”
The Game Business' Christopher Dring chats with legendary immersive sim game maker Harvey Smith (Dishonored/Deus Ex) and executive producer Ben Horne (NBA/Redfall) to discuss their new studio Black Pony Immersive. The three discuss whether the 'immersive sim' is dead, lessons from Redfall, building a new studio in 2026, being positive in the face of a continued misery and a whole lot more This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
August 13 · 57 min
Is the Stop Killing Games campaign destined to fail?
In this week's The Game Business Show, Chris is joined by policy expert Dr Celia Pontin to discuss Stop Killing Games, the consumer movement that wants to stop online video games being discontinued. Why does the campaign keep losing? Why is the industry so intent on fighting back against it? Chris and Celia dive into the complications around this growing issue. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe
August 11 · 36 min
The survival of Sackboy and Crackdown developer Sumo Digital
This week we speak to Sumo Digital Co-CEOs Andy Stewart and Gary Dunn. One of the biggest UK game studios, Sumo was behind huge hits including three Sonic racing games, two Sackboy titles, Crackdown 3 and more. But following a $1.3 billion acquisition from Tencent in 2021, the firm has fallen away, cutting staff and selling off its publishing business. And it's been six years since the BAFTA winning PlayStation game Sackboy: A Big Adventure. Chris catches up with the studio to talk about the challenges facing work-for-hire developers, the importance of its India team, trying to resurrect classic franchises, AI, tax relief, working on full games on a smaller budget and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegamebusiness.com/subscribe

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