The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team discusses the most controversial game announcement of the year so far and weigh up whether developers can handle a topic as sensitive as war.
Following our interview with the company behind upcoming shooter Six Days In Fallujah, we explore the reaction to the game's existence -- both in 2021 and back in 2009 when the title was dropped by its publisher -- and the mistakes it already seems to be making.
We also discuss whether Victura's stated intention is appropriate for a conflict like the Siege of Fallujah.
Towards the end of the episode, we shift towards the announcement of the most recent Nintendo Direct, the 35th anniversary of Zelda, and the strange disconnect between Skyward Sword's high review scores but low reputation among many series fans.
You can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz.
The GamesIndustry.biz team takes a deeper look at one of the biggest stories of the past week -- namely, Warner Bros securing a patent for Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system.
For this episode, we're joined by Kostya Lobov of law firm Harbottle & Lewis to look at the intricacies of patents and the implications for any other developers hoping to build games around a similar mechanic to the Nemesis system.
In case you missed the news, it was revealed last week that Warner Bros has finally secured a patent after repeated attempts to protect its method of creating a heirarchy for NPCs that changes based on player actions.
The move was widely criticised by developers, claiming it will stifle innovation in this space -- but is that the case? We discuss on this week's podcast.
If you'd like to find more about how developers can protect their intellectual property, check out our in-depth guide on the GamesIndustry.biz Academy.
On our latest podcast, Matt, Brendan and James discuss two of the biggest games industry stories of the past two weeks.
First up, we discuss Embracer Group's acquisition of Gearbox Software -- a deal potentially worth close to $1.4 billion, but with some very notable caveats.
We use this as a jumping off point to explore Embracer's overall mergers and acquisitions strategy, and ponder the wider trends in the M&A space -- something further analysed in this article by GameDiscoverCo's Simon Carless.
In the second half, we talk about Google's decision to close its internal Stadia Games and Entertainment and the broader implications for the internet giant's cloud streaming games service.
As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis at www.gamesindustry.biz
The GamesIndustry.biz editorial team looks optimistically forward and starts to ponder the future of video games when the COVID-19 pandemic eventually comes to an end.
Following on an editorial by our Head of B2B Chris Dring, James, Brendan, Marie and Chris discuss the implications of 2020's rapid growth in terms of new customers, and the perhaps inevitable industry contraction when those consumers drop their newfound hobby as life returns to normal (or at least closer to it).
We talk about the challenges Microsoft and Sony face in pushing their new consoles while still trying to engage the swathes of people who only purchased the old ones in the last nine months, as well as the pressure on Nintendo to continue Switch's incredible mometum.
As always, you can get more news, insight and analysis into the world behind video games at www.gamesindustry.biz.