UNBOXING: Play & Profit for the Gaming Curious.

Unboxing is back with a fresh summer season! Hosts Joost and Laine catch up and discuss the top four stories they missed: Sony's new CEO duo, Disney's investment in Epic Games, GDC 2023, and the hosts' experience at the U.S. Copyright Office video game hearings. They also cover the latest GameStop stock price antics and share thoughts on Chaim Gingold's new book "Building SimCity." Stay tuned for details on an upcoming live Twitch conversation with Gingold and Will Wright, hosted by Laine's journal "ROMchip: A Journal of Game Histories."

Another Unboxing exclusive. We interview Minecraft's Kayla Kinnunen on Mojang's vision on user-generated content. Plus, why The Game Awards can't win

The worst of Florida as a canvas for the best in gaming. Join team UNBOXING breaking down the long-awaited trailer. We discuss female protagonist Lucia, the nostalgic return to Vice City, and the evolution of boundary pushing blockbuster franchise.

Why Emmett Shear's stint was short-lived. PC Gamer's history issue causes Twitter fury over sexism, but did critics get it right? Plus: lighthouse tech, Dune fandom, and why historical narratives matter when it comes to diversity in tech.

Games researcher David Nieborg discusses the political economy of games journalism and his newly released book with the hosts. They explore the challenges of using words and concepts in game writing, the transition from products to services in the gaming industry, and the cultural status of games. They also discuss breaking barriers in game journalism, exploitation of legal ambiguity in copyright protection, and the future of game journalism.

Laine and Joost give you the highlights on FaZe's Icarus-like fall from grace, as it recently got picked up by GameSquare for a fraction of its IPO price. Bungie is laying off workers and disappoints its player community. And lastly, what to make of Netflix converting less than 1% of its subscribers to play games on its platform.

Enrico D'Angelo, Roblox's VP of Economy, shares insights on the future of one of today's most popular gaming platforms. He delves into the intricacies of Roblox's creator economy, emphasizing the importance of community trust and economic dynamics for creators. The conversation also covers the impact of user-generated content and emerging technologies, like virtual reality and blockchain, on the gaming landscape. Notably, the discussion raises critical questions about children's safety and corporate responsibilities in this rapidly evolving environment.

What's next for engine maker Unity post-Riccitiello, Poland gets its first game union, and fossil fuels are fun in Fortnite says Big Oil. We discuss the tyranny of the pumpkin spice flavor palette, Laine shares a long-held secret, and Joost finally opens up about his fear of straws.

Joost phones it in from an investor summit in Las Vegas, while Laine regales with tales of a weekend spent at the New York Renaissance Festival. Tune in as they discuss Epic's extensive layoffs, EA's triumph over FIFA following their split, and the frontier of haptics tech with insights from expert David Parisi.

It's a week of gaming shakeups--SAG-AFTRA performers vote to authorize a strike, Unity rolls back its revenue plans, and there were some glaring discrepancies in last week's leaked Xbox documents.