Layoffs Wreck the Video Game Industry || Believing Heart Podcast 1/25/23

This week I go through some updates on previous stories I've talked about, some union updates, and go into those affected by recent layoffs.

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Show Notes:

Intro/Outro: Lollipop Cruise by Oddboy18

Get In The Car Loser DLC:

https://twitter.com/christinelove/status/1617669523976372224

PSVR2 Lineup:

https://www.polygon.com/23562760/psvr-2-games-list-playstation-vr-release-date-pre-order

Google Being Sued:

https://www.ign.com/articles/google-is-being-sued-by-the-us-government-in-antitrust-fight

Ubisoft Strike Update (I think this should still go to the right article, looks like the urls got mixed up):

https://kotaku.com/overwatch-2-custom-game-mode-sexual-assault-blizzard-1850025765

Proletariat No Longer Unionizing:

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/proletariat-withdraws-election-for-unionization-cite-ceo-as-cause

ZeniMax QA Union still at the bargaining table:

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/microsoft-will-bargain-with-unionized-qa-staff-amidst-mass-layoffs

Last of Us Co-Creator calls for Unions:

https://www.ign.com/articles/last-of-us-co-creator-says-lack-of-credit-on-hbo-show-is-an-argument-for-unionization

Last of Us Sales Skyrocket:

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/console/-i-the-last-of-us-part-i-i-received-a-large-sales-spike-post-hbo-show

Persona 3/4 Not Crediting Translators:

https://kotaku.com/persona-localisation-translation-credits-sega-3-4-1850017066

Giant Bomb and Gamespot Layoffs:

https://kotaku.com/giant-bomb-gamespot-metacritic-fandom-layoffs-1850008228

Washington Post Launcher Layoffs:

https://kotaku.com/washington-post-launcher-layoffs-giant-bomb-games-media-1850025471

Microsoft Layoffs:

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/microsoft-laying-off-10-000-employees-from-overall-workforce

https://www.polygon.com/23561210/microsoft-layoffs-xbox-bethesda-halo-infinite-343-industries

Riot Games Layoffs:

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/riot-games-to-lay-off-nearly-50-staff-as-part-of-strategic-shifts-

Google Layoffs:

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/google-lays-off-12-000-employees-in-a-week-of-mass-layoffs

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro

00:22 GITCL DLC 

00:38 PSVR2 Lineup

04:47 Google Being Sued

06:12 Ubisoft Strike Update

06:51 Proletariat No Longer Unionizing

08:21 ZeniMax QA Union still at the bargaining table

08:59 Last of Us Co-Creator calls for Unions

09:52 Last of Us Sales Skyrocket

10:28 Persona 3/4 Not Crediting Translators

12:00 Giant Bomb and Gamespot Layoffs

12:51 Washington Post Launcher Layoffs

13:45 Microsoft Layoffs

14:31 Riot Games Layoffs

14:43 Google Layoffs 

15:29 Outro