Episode 126: Square Enix’s Shocking Western Sell-Off (News Show)

May 3, 2022

Square Enix bids farewell to its western CEO and studios, but Embracer is ready to hug ‘em tight. Also: Sony makes the new PS+ even more confusing, Activision shareholders sign-off on acquisition, and more.

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TIME STAMPS

• [00:00:52] - Microsoft Q3 FY22 Earnings
• [00:10:58] - Sony Makes Life Harder for Devs and PlayStation Plus Subscribers
• [00:31:08] - Investment Interlude, Including Square Enix / Embracer Discussion
• [01:10:04] - Quick Hits
• [01:10:54] - Labor Report

SOURCES

• Microsoft Cloud Strength Fuels Third Quarter Results | Microsoft
• Timed game trials are now a requirement for some PlayStation developers | GameDeveloper
• Introducing the all-new PlayStation Plus | PlayStation
• BioWare Contractors Supporting On Games Like Mass Effect Seek To Unionize | Kotaku
• Dragon Age 4 QA Devs Say They're Unionizing Over Bad Pay And Covid Safety | Kotaku
• Former Blizzard Versailles employees win appeal over redundancies that led to studio closure | GamesIndustry

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• Execution of Share Transfer Agreement with Change to Subsidiaries | Square Enix
• EMBRACER GROUP ENTERS INTO AN AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE EIDOS, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, AND SQUARE ENIX MONTRÉAL AMONGST OTHER ASSETS | Embracer Group
• Canada’s largest independent video game studio, Behaviour Interactive, opens first studio in Toronto | GamesPress
• Activision Blizzard shareholders weigh Microsoft, "dubious windfall" | Axios
• Activision Blizzard Stockholders Approve Proposed Microsoft Transaction | Activision Blizzard