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 2024. The conversation heats up with a detailed analysis of EA's and Microsoft's earnings reports, highlighting the boost from the Activision Blizzard acquisition and the strategic transition from FIFA to FC. We also discuss the implications of Microsoft's recent layoffs at Activision Blizzard and Johanna Faries' new role at Blizzard, debating whether these moves set the stage for success post-acquisition. The team then scrutinizes Apple's begrudging compliance with the EU DMA law, opening iPhones to alternative app stores, and the potential fallout of their 'malicious compliance' strategy. Finally, we explore a new study which reveals that smartphones have surpassed Nintendo as the primary gaming gateway for younger audiences. Join us for all the latest games business news with Matt Dion, Dave Elton, Felipe Mata and host Devin Becker.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.