Episode 163: Embracer Group Claims Layoffs are How “We Will Win” (News Show)

Embracer Group gorged itself during the pandemic when debt was cheap. Now, it’s scrambling to lay off hundreds of people to “win.” Also, Circana report for October, Epic wins against Google, and more.

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TIME STAMPS

• [00:04:03] - Embracer Group Q2 Earnings
• [00:20:32] - Starbreeze Q3 Earnings
• [00:24:59] - Epic wins in court against Google
• [00:27:27] - Circana U.S. Video Game Spending Report for October 2023
• [00:33:18] - Investment Interlude
• [00:45:08] - Quick Hits
• [01:11:01] - Labor Report

SOURCES

• EMBRACER GROUP PUBLISHES INTERIM REPORT Q2 | Embracer Group
• Embracer: Human cost of restructure is "significant" but "necessary" | GamesIndustry
• Starbreeze Q3 FY24 Earnings Report | Starbreeze
• Epic win: Jury decides Google has illegal monopoly in app store fight | The Verge
• Humble Games lays off "valued colleagues" as restructuring begins | Game Developer
• Digital Bros Group announces an organizational review, with an expected workforce reduction of approximately 30% | Digital Bros
• Kongregate, Digital Bros. cut jobs in a growing wave of video game industry layoffs | Polygon
• Phoenix Labs lays off 34 staff | GamesIndustry
• Trading Update and Litigation Settlement | TinyBuild
• F1 Developer Codemasters Suffers Round of Layoffs | Insider Gaming
• Embracer lays off 50 more employees and may soon close resurrected TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design | PC Gamer
• TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design closed today, staff say | Eurogamer
• Insurgency developer New World Interactive affected by layoffs | GamesIndustry
• League of Geeks lays off 50% of its staff - but does so with compassion | League of Geeks (@leagueofgeeks) on Twitter
• Rovio closes Studio Lumi | GamesIndustry
• TripleTopping is Closing | Astrid Refstrup (@AstridMie) on Twitter
• CD Projekt voluntarily recognizes Polish developer union | Game Developer
• QA staff at Xbox support dev Experis successfully vote to unionize | Game Developer

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• AONIC ACQUIRES NDREAMS FOR $110 MILLION | Ndreams
• Mobile publisher Nordcurrent acquires River End Games | Game Developer
• Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward opens new Texas studio | Game Developer
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