Episode 191: Who Can Even Afford to Be a Gamer Anymore? (News Show)

May 2, 2025

Microsoft is jacking prices on hardware, software, and peripherals. With costs going up while interest in Microsoft’s offerings declining, we have to wonder if Microsoft is applying pressure to push Game Pass. Also: Circana report on U.S. Video Game Spending for March 2025, Apple scores an own-goal and pisses off the Court, the tabletop industry is in freefall, and EA lays off another 300 to 400 people.

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TIME STAMPS

• [00:1:31] - GTA 6 Delay
• [00:12:06] - Circana for March 2025
• [00:17:43] - Devolver Digital Investor Presentation 
• [00:24:36] - Microsoft Q3 FY25
• [00:45:36] - Investment Interlude
• [00:56:59] - Quick Hits
• [01:06:42] - Labor Report
• [01:24:58] - FAFO

SOURCES

• Earnings Release FY25 Q3 | Microsoft
• Investor Presentation - 2024 Results | Devolver Digital
• Devolver Digital lays off almost half of Reigns studio Nerial | Eurogamer
• A judge just blew up Apple’s control of the App Store | The Verge
• New Epic Games Store Webshops and Revenue Share Update | Epic Games

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• Blue Ocean Games Terms & Conditions | Blue Ocean Games

LABOR REPORT

• Online board game seller Boardlandia shuts down after tariffs add “unsustainable burden” to company’s existing challenges | BoardGameWire
• CMON announces layoffs, will stop ‘all future game development’ and crowdfunding efforts | Polygon
• Report: Meta has laid off over 100 Reality Labs employees | Game Developer
• Mighty Yell Undergoes Layoffs | Mighty Yell on Bluesky
• Respawn Layoffs | Respawn on Twitter
• Electronic Arts Lays Off Hundreds, Cancels ‘Titanfall’ Game | Bloomberg (Paywall)