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Bloomberg business and news from across the web.
XBOX CEO Claims The Platform Needs More Exclusive GamesXbox CEO Asha Sharma acknowledged that the platform needs more exclusive games to provide greater value to customers, despite the company's success as a major publisher. Sharma indicated that Xbox is carefully considering its approach to exclusivity for each title. This discussion comes as Xbox also focuses on a new console and has reduced the price of Xbox Game Pass.- The Subscription Audit Gap: $3,000/Year Unwatched | TAGThis article highlights the significant financial burden of multiple gaming subscription services, estimating annual costs between $1,000 and $3,000 per consumer. It contrasts this with the ongoing instability and layoffs within the gaming industry, such as Embracer Group's struggles and publisher-wide redundancies, suggesting a lack of consumer-facing accountability in the current business model.
PlayStation first-party sales see modest rebound after half-decade declinePlayStation first-party game sales saw a modest increase to 32.1 million copies in FY2025, the first upturn in five years, following a significant decline since a peak in 2020-2021. This growth is attributed partly to the release of Ghost of Yōtei, while the overall decline was linked to inconsistent studio output and lengthy development cycles. Sony has also reportedly scaled back on releasing PS5 exclusives for PC, fearing it could damage the console's brand.- Uppgift: ökad Switch 2-tillverkning, trots prishöjningNintendo is reportedly planning to produce 20 million units of the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 by March 2027, a 20% increase over its sales forecast of 16.5 million units. This increased production suggests confidence in future game releases, with speculation around new titles like a 3D Mario, Zelda remakes, and a new Smash Bros. The company has also recently announced price increases for the Switch 2 in Japan, Europe, and the US.
Sony Reportedly Making Single Player Games Exclusive To PlayStation AgainSony is reportedly shifting back to making its prestige single-player narrative games exclusive to PlayStation consoles, reversing a trend that saw titles like Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War ported to PC. This change, according to a report citing PlayStation studio business CEO Hermen Hulst, will not affect multiplayer-first games like Marathon. While some externally developed titles may still see PC releases, the move comes amid a changing console market and potential diminishing returns on PC ports.
The Nintendo Switch 2 could see a $50-100 price hike says report as pesky investors complain about the launch priceA report suggests the Nintendo Switch 2 could see a $50-$100 price increase due to investor pressure and a memory crisis, though some analysts believe this is not enough to ensure profitability. Analysts Hideki Yasuda and Michael Pachter offer differing opinions on the potential price hike's impact.
Would you quit? Meta will put keyloggers on employee PCs for AI trainingMeta will reportedly track US-based employees' keystrokes, mouse movements, and screenshots on work-issued PCs for the purpose of training its AI models. This initiative, which may be limited to the US due to stricter European privacy laws, aims to gather data for AI development, including their new Muse Spark model.
AAA Game Budgets Regularly Reach $300m, New Report ClaimsA new report indicates that AAA game budgets frequently exceed $300 million, with some titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War reportedly costing up to $700 million. These high costs are attributed to developer salaries and overhead, not executive compensation, and may explain industry trends like layoffs and long development cycles. In contrast, indie games like Mewgenics can be profitable with significantly lower budgets.
AAA Game Development Budgets in US, Canada Have Reportedly Started Exceeding $300 MillionAAA game development budgets in the US and Canada are reportedly exceeding $300 million, sometimes significantly more, contributing to industry struggles like layoffs and studio closures. Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida noted that development costs have doubled between the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 generations, making it difficult to recoup investments. While blockbuster titles face massive budgets, smaller games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 can be made for under $10 million by focusing on core gameplay.
Nvidia's Jensen Huang confirms he was once asked to become chief executive of TSMC: 'I declined it... it's an unbelievable offer, but I simply couldn't take it'Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang confirmed he was offered the chief executive position at TSMC in 2013 but declined the offer. Huang expressed deep admiration for TSMC's manufacturing system, culture, and trustworthiness, despite the significant business relationship between the two companies.
Sales data indicates Sony's PS5 ports are increasingly losing audience share on PC, but only because of release timingAnalysis from Newzoo suggests Sony's PC ports are losing audience share due to delayed release dates compared to simultaneous multi-platform launches. While PC versions of PlayStation titles typically account for 13% of total players, simultaneous releases see PC contribute around 44%. This trend is observed across various titles, with recent ports showing smaller PC shares than earlier ones.
Sony PlayStation reportedly moving away from PC portsSony PlayStation is reportedly shifting away from releasing single-player games on PC, aiming to encourage console sales and maintain brand exclusivity. While some online titles may remain multi-platform, plans for PC ports of internally developed games like Ghost of Yotei have allegedly been canceled. This move is seen as a potential return to the era of console wars.