Episode 134: GameStop and Unity Want Those Payoffs for Layoffs (News Show)

Jul 21, 2022

GameStop and Unity are making ugly moves, drawing the ire of consumers and developers. Also: E3 returns as the ESA gives up on being an event organizer, a surprisingly meaty list of new investments, NPD for June 2022, another Activision studio moves to unionize, and a double FAFO!

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

TIME STAMPS

• [00:01:10] - The Return of E3
• [00:14:59] - NPD for June 2022
• [00:24:37] - Investment Interlude
• [00:45:56] - Quick Hits
• [01:06:36] - Labor Report (Nintendo, esports media, GameStop, and a new Activision union)
• [01:19:03] - Double FAFO (Bungie sues harasser, Developer smacks down NFT and Crypto shills)

SOURCES

• NPD for June 2022 | Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella) on Twitter
• Nintendo Labor Suit Amended | Nicole Carpenter (@sweetpotatoes) on Twitter
• ‘Our entire industry is dying’: In esports media, layoff season is in full swing | Digiday
• GameStop Form 8-K, June 9, 2021 | US SEC
• GameStop Form 8-K, July 7, 2021 | US SEC
• GameStop CFO out as company announces layoffs | Axios
• Blizzard Albany QA Moves to Unionize | GWA Albany (@WeAreGWAAlbany) on Twitter
• Bungie Sues Destiny 2 Streamer For Repeatedly Cheating And Harassing Its Employees | TheGamePost
• Developer turns 'future of gaming' talk into a surprise attack on convention's NFT and blockchain sponsors | PCGamer
• Game Developers of Color Expo - Speaker List

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• Unity Announces Merger Agreement with ironSource | BusinessWire
• Welcome, ironSource! | Unity
• Nekcom raises $8m, opens new US studio | GamesIndustry.biz
• NetEase Invests in Polish VR Startup | Piotr Goguś on LinkedIn
• FaZe Clan, a Leading Gaming, Lifestyle and Media Brand, Completes Business Combination with B. Riley Principal 150 Merger Corp. | BusinessWire
• Sony has closed its $3.6B acquisition of Bungie | PlayStation (@PlayStation) on Twitter
• Sony has completed its acquisition of Haven Studios | PlayStation (@PlayStation) on Twitter
• Repeat to be acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment | Repeat
• Spotify To Acquire Music Trivia Sensation Heardle | Spotify
• Microsoft / Activision Blizzard merger inquiry | UK Competitions and Markets Authority
• Notification of the Acquisition of Dynamo Pictures, Inc. | Nintendo
• Nordisk Games acquires Supermassive Games, award-winning creators of The Quarry and The Dark Pictures Anthology | Supermassive