Virtual Economy

Feb 25 2025 100 ep. 79 mins 76
Virtual Economy Podcast artwork

The business of video games can be complicated. In each episode of Virtual Economy, hosts and analysts Amanda Farough and Michael Futter break down the biggest business news in the video game industry.

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Episode 188: We’re Getting Tired of Clowns in the C-Suite (News Show)

Feb 25 2025 78 mins  
Despite mounting evidence that Games as a Service are struggling, executives continue to go back to that empty well. Also: A ton of earnings reports (Nintendo, EA, Paradox, Square Enix, Sega, Ubisoft, Remedy, Embracer Group, and Sony), the labor picture worsens, and Niantic may be exiting the gaming space. You can support Virtual Economy’s growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase V

Episode 187: When A Publisher Won’t Use the Word ‘Layoff’ (News Show)

Feb 03 2025 115 mins  
There are few things worse than yet another company laying people off… and EA has committed the sin of obfuscating job losses. Also: Earnings season is underway, the Circana report for December 2024 and the full year, a recap of the GDC State of the Industry report, and more. You can support Virtual Economy’s growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! T

Episode 186: Unalive Service (Season Premiere - News Show)

Jan 20 2025 69 mins  
The year has begun, and the industry is already off to an intense start. On this episode, we discuss the business decisions behind the Switch 2’s departure from “Weird Nintendo,” Ubisoft’s precarious position, the U.S. ruffling Tencent’s feathers, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s move to regulate premium game currency. You can support Virtual Economy’s g

Episode 185: Survive Through ‘25 (News Show)

Dec 27 2024 65 mins  
34,000. That’s how many jobs have been lost in our industry since the start of 2022. We recap the year, discuss PAX Unplugged and The Game Awards, and look ahead at what to expect in 2025. We did a deep dive on tabletop card game trends and the looming tariffs for all of our fellow tabletop gaming nerds, too! You can support Virtual Economy’s growth via our Ko-Fi and also purch

Episode 184: Call of Duty Saves the Month… On PlayStation (News Show)

Dec 05 2024 51 mins  
We now know that Microsoft wasn’t kidding when they said they had no intention of pulling Call of Duty from PlayStation. Whether the Game Pass Gambit pays off or not, Black Ops 6 is selling great on Sony’s console. Also: the rest of the Circana report on U.S. Video Game Spending for October, a pair of Mass Effect alums run into funding trouble, and more. You can support Virtual

Episode 183: The Cold Embrace(r) (News Show)

Nov 20 2024 52 mins  
Another bad quarter for Embracer could have ripple effects throughout the industry. Also: Sony, Nintendo, Sega, and Square Enix earnings, legal trouble for NetEase executives, a strike at Activision Blizzard, and more. You can support Virtual Economy’s growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! TIME STAMPS [00:01:12] - Sony Q2 FY25 Earnings [00:08:11] -

Episode 182: We Carry On… Together (News Show)

Nov 08 2024 93 mins  
It’s earnings season, so we’re digging into the numbers to help us understand if “Survive until ‘25” is still realistic or if things are going to remain difficult through next year. Also: Circana report on U.S. video game spending for September 2024, a few bright investment items, and a labor report that still shows bumpy roads ahead. You can support Virtual Economy’s g

Episode 181: Roblox Remains Icky as Heck (News Show)

Oct 23 2024 93 mins  
A scathing report from Hindenburg Research surfaces shocking realities about Roblox’s investor relations and massive failures to protect youth on the platform. Also: Circana Report U.S. video game spending for August 2024, Google is now required to make external app stores more viable, and more. You can support Virtual Economy’s growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual E

Episode 180: Ubisoft in Freefall (News Show)

Oct 08 2024 85 mins  
Ubisoft has been under fire since a failed hostile takeover attempt in 2018. Since then, a toxic culture of misogyny and harassment was revealed in 2020 leading to an exodus of talent and a string of underperforming releases. Now, a critical game delay, a board review of operations, and a looming strike in France have tanked the share price as the company is fending off an activist

Episode 179: The $700 PS5 Pro Is An Act of Desperation (News Show)

Sep 16 2024 95 mins  
The PlayStation 5 Pro defies all logic, reaching deeper into diehards’ pockets in the worst economy we’ve seen in 15 years. We break down the challenging economics (while also admiring Mark Cerny’s ASMR-style presentation). Also: GameStop earnings tumble, more Microsoft layoffs, Unity reverses a terrible decision, and can AI companies just stop stealing our stuff? You can sup