EA's $55B Saudi Takeover, GTA VI's Netflix Paywall, and Devolver's Public Exit: The Week Gaming Went Wild

I know. I know. Video games. We'll get there, I promise. But before we slog through what might eventually go down as one of the most momentous weeks in the history of our industry (courtesy of EA), let's pause for some much-needed musical affirmation courtesy of The Avalanches.

The Australian plunderphonics gurus dropped 'Can't Get Over Losing You' last night and I have not been able to get it out of my head. Any release from The Avalanches tends to be a very special thing. A masterful tapestry of indiscernible samples and left-field collaborators that never fails to produce magic.

There was a preposterous sixteen year gap between their electric first album Since I Left You and its rambunctious follow up, Wildflower. To put that into context. I was six years old when their debut record released. I then saw them on tour in Manchester as a twenty-something when they returned with Wildflower.

Mercifully, they've been a touch more consistent since then and another album in the form of We Will Always Love You (my personal favourite) followed in 2020.

If none of this means anything to you—I am jealous. That means you can go and listen to their entire discography with fresh ears. What I wouldn't give to Eternal Sunshine myself and do precisely that. Don't rush in, though. Grab your best pair of headphones and melt into your favourite chair before hitting play. These records will change your life, I promise.

C'mon then. Back to the news.

Devolver wants to delist because indie publishing is not 'compatible' with public trading

via Game Developer // Poinpy and Hotline Miami publisher Devolver is attempting to remove itself from the investor-driven bedlam that is public trading. The company wants to delist from the London Stock Exchange because it feels the short-termism that investors demand simply isn't compatible with the inherent fluctuations of the video game industry. As some readers have pointed out, though, it does beg the question: why go public in the first place?

Candy Crush Bosses Reject Developers' Union Demands, Saying The 'Current Operating Model Is The Right Fit'

via Kotaku // King management has refused to ratify a collective bargaining agreement tabled by unionized employees in Sweden. In an email obtained by Kotaku, King president Todd Green said the decision was made because the current benefits offered by the studio are better for employees—although he also accepted that entering into a collective bargaining agreement wouldn't prevent the company from continuing to offer those same benefits. Union members described the decision as "disappointing."

EA is now owned by Saudi Arabia and Donald Trump's son-in-law

via Game Developer // EA became a private company this week after an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia's sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF) completed its $55 billion buyout of the U.S. publisher. The deal closed despite some union bosses and lawmakers in the United States calling on the Federal Trade Commission to heavily scrutinize the move. Maybe we shouldn't be too surprised, though, given how cosy Saudi crown prince and PIF chairman Mohammed bin Salman has been getting with U.S. president Donald Trump, whose son-in-law Jared Kushner was also heavily involved in the deal. Food for thought.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla director makes sudden return to Ubisoft, and will lead the series moving forward

via Eurogamer // Assassin's Creed veteran Eric Baptizat has returned to Ubisoft after five years at Motive Studios working on Dead Space and Battlefield. Baptizat spent around 16 years at the French publisher before departing in 2021 and directed Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Black Flag, and Origins. He'll once again steer the Assassins's Creed franchise at Ubisoft, which is in the midst of a massive reorg that has resulted in widespread layoffs and studio closures.

Halo Studios jettisons long-serving contractors after launch of Halo: Campaign Evolved

via Game Developer // A number of contract roles have been eliminated at Halo Studios just over a week after Halo: Campaign Evolved hit shelves. A source close to the matter told Game Developer that full-time workers were not impacted by the cuts, but it's still another debilitating blow for Xbox employees, with many of those contractors impacted having worked at the studio for years.

"Roblox had a terrible second quarter across virtually every engagement"

via Morningstar // Investment advisory group Morningstar didn't pull its punches when assessing Roblox Corp's second-quarter fiscal results. The firm described UGC platform's performance as "atrocious" and questioned Roblox's growth potential after both daily active users and monthly unique players declined for the third sequential quarter. "Everything took a step backwards this quarter, and growth is now in question," added the company.

Rockstar wants you to pay Netflix to watch the next GTA VI trailer before it's released to the masses

via Game Developer // The next trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI will be premiering exclusively on Netflix on August 27 before heading over to YouTube six hours later. It's a small window, but one that means fans of the franchise will need to pay for a Netflix sub if they want to watch what's being billed as an 'extended preview' as soon as it's released. The future of video game marketing—or a lucrative deal that only GTA could pull off?

Coffee Stain bullish despite underperformance of Deep Rock Galactic spinoff

via Game Developer // Swedish publisher and Embracer Group spinoff Coffee Stain remains optimistic about the potential of its video game portfolio despite Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core and Fellowship failing to set the world alight. In addition, the company also raked in $2.1 million during the quarter from a Roblox title called Welcome to Bloxburg, demonstrating the value of the popular (and rather divisive) UGC platform.