Episode 129: Jim Ryan’s Tone Deaf Meow Meow Storytime Hour (News Show)

May 24, 2022

There’s a right way to respond to a civil liberties crisis. PlayStation boss Jim Ryan went a different way. Also: NPD for April 2022, Raven workers vote to unionize as Activision Blizzard draws the NLRB’s ire, Sony discrimination lawsuit is back in play, developers revive anticompetition suit against Valve, Saudi Arabia takes a bite of Nintendo, and more.

You can support Virtual Economy’s growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise!

TIME STAMPS

• [00:01:42] - The Attack in Buffalo and How the Game Industry Played a Role
• [00:11:00] - Steam Antitrust Suits Revived
• [00:16:07] - NPD for April 2022
• [00:24:40] - Investment Interlude
• [00:37:41] - Quick Hits
• [00:53:44] - Labor Report (Activision, Keywords Studiso, Sony’s Non-Stance on Abortion Rights and the Labor Lawsuit, GameStop’s Alleged Misclassification of Workers in NY)
• [01:18:54] - Listener Questions
• [01:27:30] - FAFO Award

SOURCES

• How Twitch took down Buffalo shooter’s stream in under two minutes | Washington Post
• BUNGIE STATEMENT ON THE TERRORIST ATTACK IN BUFFALO, NY | Bungie
• Steam's U.S. antitrust lawsuits fail to get dismissed - now what? | Game Developer (Simon Carless)
• NPD for April 2022 | Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) on Twitter
• Raven Software prepares for union vote following months-long campaign | Washington Post
• Activision Asks Court to Toss California State Harassment Claims | Bloomberg Law
• KING’S DIVERSITY SPACE TOOL | Activision Blizzard
• BioWare contractors trying to unionize will no longer be forced to return to the office | The Verge
• Sony PlayStation Staff Fume Over CEO’s Abortion Comments | Bloomberg (Paywall)
• After Roe v. Wade cat email gaffe, Sony and Insomniac plan donations | Washington Post
• Gender discrimination lawsuit against PlayStation returns | Axios
• GameStop worker sues over alleged labor law violation | Polygon

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• Behaviour Interactive acquires Seattle’s Midwinter Entertainment | Behaviour Interactive
• GAMES FUND ONE: Building the Future of Games | a16z
• Saudi investment fund buys 5 percent stake in Nintendo | Game Developer
• Can I Play That? x DAGERSystem — May 2022 Update | Can I Play That?