DLC 628: Jacob Geller: Marvel Cosmic Invasion, Sektori, Lies of P: Overture, NFL Retro Bowl 26, What the Clash, Rockstar union busting, Xbox Cloud hours up, Sega's strange sales numbers, FX Far Cry series
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Dec 1, 2025 Jacob Geller, a video essayist and author, joins the discussion to shed light on the Rockstar layoffs and potential legal ramifications for affected employees. He also analyzes Sega's disappointing sales figures and the struggles of new game releases. The conversation dives into Xbox's cloud gaming strategy, with insights into the implications of their 'cloud hours' claims. Plus, Jacob shares his thoughts on the adaptation potential of Far Cry for television, comparing its jungle and varied settings for a unique viewing experience.
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Public Scrutiny Kept Rockstar Story Alive
- People Make Games' reporting sustained public scrutiny and protests around Rockstar's UK firings, including parliamentary mention.
- Jacob sees this as an example of how labor protections and civic pressure can keep layoffs from being ignored.
UK Protections Turn Rockstar Firings Into A Story
- Rockstar's UK firings for "gross misconduct" look like union-busting over salary and bonus discussions in private channels.
- Jacob Geller highlights UK protections that let employees share pay info to check discrimination and push back against unfair firings.
New Releases Were Only 17% Of Sega Sales
- Sega reported only 17% of game sales came from new releases in a quarter, prompting execs to question release strategies.
- The hosts suggest long playtimes, evergreen titles, and marketing or timing issues likely explain the low new-release share.
