This week, Laine and Joost wade through the glittering but sometimes shallow waters of summer games season, breaking down what the Xbox Showcase, Summer Game Fest, and Sony’s State of Play actually tell us about the future of games (spoiler: not much). They reflect on the post-E3 showcase sprawl, the flattening effect of digital-only reveals, and the quiet collapse of industry pageantry into trailer fatigue and corporate branding exercises. Then, the duo turns to GameStop’s latest mutation—into a Bitcoin-hoarding, Pokémon-peddling quasi-hedge fund. Is it a savvy reinvention or just late-stage capitalism in cosplay? They talk meme stock mayhem and the vibes-based logic of retail pivots.
UNBOXING: Play and Profit for the Gaming Curious