Episode 68: Pour one out for Stadia (News Show)

Feb 7, 2021

With the news that Stadia’s first-party development is kaput, we discuss what may lie ahead for Google’s gaming aspirations. Also: WB’s Nemesis system patent, the Gearbox acquisition, Kowloon Nights’ indie funding blitz, and a little bit more GameStonk news.

TIME STAMPS

• [00:01:00] - Warner Bros. frustrates development community with Nemesis system patent
• [00:17:15] - Valve sued for using pricing demands to maintain market dominance
• [00:27:08] - Activision sued for allegedly plagiarizing character for Call of Duty
• [00:30:21] - Kowloon Nights announces funding for 23 studios
• [00:40:32] - Quick Hits
• [00:47:50] - Steam Game Festival
• [01:00:20] - GameStonk Update
• [01:04:50] - Embracer snaps up Gearbox (and more)
• [01:07:30] - Alas, poor Stadia

SOURCES

• Nemesis characters, nemesis forts, social vendettas and followers in computer games (Google Patents): https://patents.google.com/patent/US20160279522A1/en
• How the Nemesis System Creates Stories (Game Maker’s Toolkit): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm_AzK27mZY&feature=emb_title
• Popular Gaming Platform Accused of Abusing Market Power Through Contracts (The Hollywood Reporter): https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/popular-gaming-platform-accused-of-abusing-market-power-through-contracts
• Activision sued over female Call of Duty character (Polygon): https://www.polygon.com/2021/2/3/22264716/activision-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-mara-lawsuit-cade-janus
• Kowloon Nights announces 23 new titles, continues to quietly revolutionize game funding (MCV/Press Release): https://www.mcvuk.com/development-news/from-the-industry-kowloon-nights-announces-23-new-titles-continues-to-quietly-revolutionize-game-funding/amp/
• Manticore’s Core Invitational Game Jam: http://invitational.coregames.com
• SEC Hunts for Fraud in Social-Media Posts Hyping GameStop (Bloomberg): https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-03/sec-hunts-for-fraud-in-social-media-posts-that-drove-up-gamestop
• Google Stadia Shuts Down Internal Studios, Changing Business Focus (Kotaku): https://kotaku.com/google-stadia-shuts-down-internal-studios-changing-bus-1846146761
• Focusing on Stadia’s future as a platform, and winding down SG&E (Google): https://blog.google/products/stadia/focusing-on-stadias-future-as-a-platform-and-winding-down-sge/
• Embracer Group to merge with Easybrain forming eighth operating group: https://embracer.com/release/embracer-group-to-merge-with-easybrain-forming-eighth-operating-group/
• Embracer Group acquires Aspyr Media: https://embracer.com/release/embracer-group-acquires-aspyr-media/
• Embracer Group merges with The Gearbox Entertainment Company and form a seventh operating group: https://embracer.com/release/embracer-group-merges-with-the-gearbox-entertainment-company-and-form-a-seventh-operating-group/