Episode 164: The Game Awards Needs to Change (Season Finale)

It’s been a hard year, folks. As we say goodbye to 2023 and turn our attention to a (hopefully) brighter 2024, we’re recapping recent gaming events, November’s Circana report, and more.

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TIME STAMPS

• [00:02:17] - Circana Report on U.S. Video Game Spending for November 2023
• [00:09:11] - GameStop Earnings for Q3 2023
• [00:13:28] - What’s Going on in China?
• [00:19:37] - Twitch: Closing Up Shop in S. Korea, Sexual Content Policy
• [00:25:10] - Investment Interlude
• [00:25:59] - Quick Hits
• [00:27:26] - Labor Report
• [00:35:45] - Our Feelings on Coverage of the Insomniac Hack (Discussion)
• [00:45:59] - PAX Unplugged (Discussion)
• [00:54:47] - The Game Awards (Discussion)
• [01:02:42] - Our Favorite Games This Year
• [01:13:48] - Listener Questions

SOURCES

• GameStop Discloses Third Quarter 2023 Results | GameStop
• Activision Blizzard to pay $47M in gender discrimination settlement | Axios
• Microsoft announces more Xbox leadership changes as Activision’s Bobby Kotick departs | The Verge
• Updates on Twitch in Korea | Twitch
• Sexual Content Policy Update | Twitch
• Indie publisher Versus Evil has shut down | Game Developer
• Jukai Studio Has Shut Down | Jukai Studio (@jukaistudio) on Twitter
• Activision Blizzard to pay $47M in gender discrimination settlement | Axios
• Microsoft announces more Xbox leadership changes as Activision’s Bobby Kotick departs | The Verge

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• Keywords acquires The Multiplayer Group, enhancing its Create division | Keywords