The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast

James, Rebekah and Haydn discuss the latest industry headlines, starting with the biggest story of the week: Activision's plans to cut 800 jobs despite record revenues. We debate whether such drastic cuts are necessary, and how Activision could have better handled the revelation. Plus, where does Blizzard fit in the publisher's future plans? We also touch on the latest Nintendo direct, the ongoing battle for cross-play between developers and PlayStation, and Epic Games' efforts to dismiss rapper 2 Milly's lawsuit over a Fortnite dance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris, Charlotte, James and Haydn gather to discuss the biggest news of the past few days. We kick off the episode with the surprising (or is it?) success of Kingdom Hearts 3, having shipped five million copies worldwide and broken series records in various territories. Following Chris' article, we also debate Electronic Arts' strategy in releasing Apex Legends, the new free-to-play battle royale game in the Titanfall universe, with little to no pre-launch fanfare, and the various factors that might deter a publisher from running a months-long promotional campaign ahead of such a release. Microsoft's plans to bring Xbox Live support to Nintendo Switch and mobile are in tune with predictions we have previously made about the strengthening relationship between the two platform holders. And finally, we ponder the latest in the heated discussion around Epic Games Store and its timed exclusivity deal for Metro Exodus. As always, you can get all your daily news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following the news that Bungie and Activision are parting ways, the GamesIndustry.biz team discuss where the AAA publisher goes from here. Whether part of the ten-year agreement between the two firms or due to a change in strategy, there's no denying that the break-up leaves a Destiny-shaped hole in Activision's limited portfolio (NB: We mean Activision specifically, which is left with Call of Duty and the Crash/Spyro remakes -- the wider company of Activision Blizzard is doing just fine). Matt, Chris and James ponder whether Activision will seek its next billion-dollar franchise from another third-party studio like Bungie or perhaps turn to the many developers it already owns (most of which are working on Call of Duty) to come up with fresh ideas. We also talk about the company's efforts in other areas, from esports to film production, and whatever happened to that revived Sierra brand the publisher so proudly relaunched a few years back. As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brendan, Chris, James and Rebekah kick off the year with their predictions for the year ahead. We've already covered analysts' predictions and industry leaders' most anticipated games on the site, but now it's time for us to offer our own take on what 2019 has in store for the games market. Topics we explore include: the increased competition among PC stores, thanks to the rise of Epic and Discord's offerings; the growing speculation as to whether we'll see next generation consoles unveiled; and what challenges Nintendo faces in the Switch's third year. We also share our most anticipated 2019 games and why we're looking forward to them. As always, you can get your daily dose of news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We round out the year with a thorough discussion of our favourite titles from the past twelve months. The entire GamesIndustry.biz team is on hand for this episode, each with their pick (or, in a few cases, picks) for best game of the year. While we somehow managed to reach a consensus last year -- jointly recognising Zelda: Breath of the Wild as the greatest 2017 offering -- there's a much broader range of titles to discuss this year. In case you haven't already read our Games of the Year article, we'll offer some hints: this year the team selected two PlayStation 4 exclusives, one Xbox, a handful of superb indie titles and even a premium mobile title. There may also be some tangents involving games-themed Christmas jumpers and George Romero zombie movies. Intrigued? Listen to the full discussion to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In light of increased scrutiny around loot boxes in full-price games, Brendan and James discuss how in industry is (and should be) handling this divisive monetisation mechanic. During the episode, we touch on the dangers that legislation like that imposed in Belgium and the Netherlands pose to publishers, the IGDA's recommendations on how games firms can show it is implementing loot boxes responsibly, and the different mindsets the prevalance of this monetisation is creating among players. As always, you can find all your news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're joined by Resolution Games CEO and virtual reality proponent Tommy Palm to discuss the ongoing hurdles the immersive technology must overcome. At a time when skepticism around the future of VR is on the rise, with with past champions declaring it's nigh on impossible to build a business around it, Resolution Games continues to invest in both virtual and augmented reality projects. The firm recently secured $7.5 million in a seed round, bringing the firm's valuation up to $87.5 million. But, Palm tells us, it's not easy. On the show we discuss the limited audience and how it might be grown, and the potential for new standalone headsets like Oculus Quest.  We also touch on the type of experiences that are likely to drive virtual reality going forward, and the opportunities afforded by augmented reality. As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're joined by Reality Gaming Group co-founder Tony Pearce to discuss the changing landscape of cryptocurrency and blockchain-based games and services. Following a surge of interest in the technology at the tail end of 2017 and the headline-grabbing devaluing of prominent cryptocurrency Bitcoin - plus tales of scams and failed projects funded by Initial Coin Offerings - we look at how the opportunities for games firms have changed. Pearce also reflects on what his company has learned in trying to establish the cryptocurrency behind Reality Clash, an augmented reality shooter for mobiles that allows players to buy and sell in-game weapons with real-world value. As always, you can find all your news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris and James reflect on the recent Rockstar controversy surrounding the working conditions behind Red Dead Redemption 2 - and, more importantly, ask where the industry goes from here. We discuss the growing scope of open-world games and the pressure this puts on developers and their resources, plus the decisions behind release dates and how this can drastically impact what a team is able to accomplish. Finally, we wrap up by talking about how well we expect Red Dead Redemption 2 to perform when it releases later this week, amid a market suffering an ongoing decline in AAA sales (at least in terms of physical retail). And yes, we talk about those shrinking horse testicles. As always, you can find all your news, analysis and insight into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the wake of Microsoft's Project xCloud announcement, James, Matt and Brendan ponder the possibilities for game streaming. While undoubtedly a disruptive force in the games industry, what role will the technology play in Xbox's future - or that of video games in general? We discuss the hurdles that Microsoft - or any would-be streaming service provider - need to overcome to appease consumers and deliver the convenience the public has come to expect from Spotify and Netflix. Plus, we consider the implications for developers and how this might lead to the rise of exclusive titles built specifically for streaming. While Microsoft naturally dominates the conversation, we also touch on EA's streaming ambitions, Google's Project Stream, Nintendo's experiments with streaming Switch titles in Japan, and more. As always, you can find more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices