Business Practices
Ongoing coverage on Business Practices.
Latest coverage
'Locking a gameplay trailer behind a Netflix subscription is a new level of greed' — GTA 6 callout Rockstar for 'paywalling' the game's extended look
Grand Theft Auto 6 fans have criticized Rockstar Games for "paywalling" an extended gameplay trailer by premiering it on Netflix before a YouTube release. Players expressed frustration, calling the move "greedy" and indicative of negative trends in the gaming industry. Despite the controversy, Grand Theft Auto 6 is reportedly a top seller in pre-orders and is projected to earn over $5 billion.
"It's a massive failure": Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto slams short-term profit gains that have "burned through the talents of so many people"
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto criticized the focus on short-term profits and recouping investments in game development, stating it leads to a "massive failure" by burning through talent. He believes games that resonate most are created from fundamental ideas and unique concepts, rather than chasing market trends or immediate financial returns.
Sony kills game ownership and says it's all your fault
Sony is phasing out physical game discs for new PlayStation titles by 2028, effectively ending the concept of game ownership as players will no longer be able to buy, sell, or preserve physical copies. This move, driven by business decisions and a lack of competition, raises concerns about game preservation, consumer rights, and the loss of tangible connection to games and their creators.
Perfect Ten: The 10 most rage-inducing (but fixable) MMORPG industry problems
This opinion piece outlines ten common and fixable problems within the MMORPG industry, ranging from the over-sexualization of characters and misleading 'pay-to-win' discussions to poor website and communication practices. It also criticizes trend-chasing studio creation, premature announcements, historical inaccuracies in marketing, and the continued lack of essential features like group finders.
Steam Week in Review: More than 300 games released on Steam last week, and 120 of them had AI disclosures
Last week saw over 300 games released on Steam, with 120 of them featuring AI disclosures. Several games, including visual novels and FMV titles, heavily utilize AI-generated art, music, and narrative, with some priced at $100 or more. This trend raises concerns about the quality and legitimacy of AI-driven game development and pricing strategies on the platform.
Naughty Dog founder speaks on losing Crash Bandicoot and "abysmal" Universal Interactive partnership
Naughty Dog co-founder Jason Rubin described the studio's past relationship with Universal Interactive as "abysmal," detailing harsh working conditions and a lack of respect that ultimately led to the studio parting ways with the Crash Bandicoot IP. Rubin expressed regret that Crash Bandicoot is not more prominently featured at Universal Studios today, suggesting a better partnership could have led to theme park attractions.
DOJ extracts $30m settlement from PayPal over minority-owned business program
The Department of Justice has extracted a $30 million settlement from PayPal concerning its minority-owned business program. This action is part of a broader trend of federal scrutiny over corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Report: Microsoft Israel's general manager leaves amid alleged unethical use of Azure
Alon Haimovich, the general manager of Microsoft Israel, has reportedly left the company following an investigation into the alleged unethical use of Microsoft Azure services by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The investigation, conducted by Microsoft's global management team, raised concerns about potential violations of the company's code of ethics and terms of use. Several other managers in Microsoft Israel's governance department have also departed, and the company has stated it ceased and disabled some Azure services for the Ministry of Defense in September.
Former Nintendo of America President Sheds Insight On Turbulent Relationship With Amazon
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé shared insights into Nintendo's past strained relationship with Amazon. He detailed an incident where Amazon requested an 'obscene amount of support' to offer prices lower than Walmart, which Fils-Aimé refused due to its illegality and potential damage to other retail partnerships. This experience shaped Nintendo's approach to business dealings and built mutual respect over time.
US: Reggie talks about the Amazon and Nintendo rift that happened
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime discussed a past dispute with Amazon US regarding retail pricing. Amazon requested significant financial support to offer prices lower than competitors like Walmart, which Fils-Aime refused, deeming it illegal and detrimental to Nintendo's relationships with other retailers. This led to Nintendo temporarily ceasing sales on Amazon US.
Former Nintendo exec reveals why it stopped selling Wii and DS systems to Amazon
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime revealed that Nintendo stopped selling Wii and DS systems to Amazon due to an "illegal" demand for excessive financial support to undercut Walmart. This led to a temporary halt in their business relationship, though they have since reconciled, particularly for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch.
Ys X Proud Nordics Review – Definitive But Divisive | Invision Game Community
Ys X Proud Nordics is a definitive edition of Ys X Nordics, bundling all DLC and adding quality-of-life improvements. While it offers new content and a refined single-player experience, it controversially removes the co-op mode present in the original. The game's business model, particularly the timed upgrade discount, has drawn criticism from players who purchased the earlier version.
Steam Users Demand Answers as Two-Word Post Goes Viral
A two-word post on Reddit's Steam community, "Explain yourself," has gone viral, garnering nearly 20,000 interactions and uniting thousands of Steam users who feel something needs addressing. This organic moment highlights growing player awareness and scrutiny of gaming platforms' business decisions and policies, putting pressure on Valve to respond.
Former Valve Dev Destroys Tim Sweeney Over Epic’s Mass Layoffs
Former Valve developer Chet Faliszek heavily criticized Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney on TikTok following Epic's announcement of 1,000 layoffs. Faliszek accused Sweeney of prioritizing profit from Fortnite over game development and employee well-being, contrasting Epic's actions with Valve's employee ownership model.
Jeff Kaplan Discusses His Departure from Blizzard - GameHaunt
Jeff Kaplan detailed his departure from Blizzard Entertainment in April 2021, citing pressure from a senior finance executive to meet revenue targets or face 1,000 layoffs. He described a significant cultural shift at Blizzard from a creative environment to a profit-driven one, culminating in a "f&ck you moment" with the CFO. Kaplan has since founded Kintsugiyama and is working on The Legend of California.
'We'll Lay Off a Thousand People': Blizzard CFO's Outrageous Threat Was the Last Straw for Overwatch Director
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan has explained that a threat from Blizzard's CFO to lay off a thousand employees if revenue targets were not met was the primary reason for his 2021 departure. Kaplan recalled the incident as a significant "f*ck you" moment, leading him to leave the company after nearly 20 years. The article also touches on the pressures surrounding the Overwatch League and the eventual transition to Overwatch 2.
Sony is reportedly testing dynamic pricing on its PlayStation storefront that changes the price tag of over 190 games
Sony is reportedly testing dynamic pricing on the PlayStation Store, with prices changing for over 190 games across more than 70 regions since November 2025. The experiment, which includes first-party titles and some third-party games, offers personalized discounts that can be significantly deeper than standard sale prices, particularly in the US market.
Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores
Google is significantly altering its Play Store policies, reducing its transaction fees to 20 percent (and as low as 15 percent for some developers) and allowing developers to offer alternative billing systems. This move, partly influenced by a settlement with Epic Games, also paves the way for third-party app stores to be more easily integrated into Android. Fortnite is set to return to the Google Play Store globally as a result of these changes.
Roblox responds to LA County lawsuit that alleges it is "failing to protect children from predatory behavior"
Los Angeles County has filed a lawsuit against Roblox, alleging the platform fails to protect children from predatory behavior, sexual exploitation, and grooming, prioritizing corporate profit over user safety. Roblox strongly disputes these claims, stating that safety is core to its platform and that it employs advanced safeguards and works with law enforcement to address harmful content and bad actors.
Update: LA County sues Roblox over 'business practices that endanger and exploit children'
Los Angeles County has filed a lawsuit against Roblox, alleging unfair and deceptive business practices that endanger and exploit children. The county claims the platform is an unsafe online environment used by predators and that Roblox has failed to implement necessary safety measures, seeking significant civil penalties. Roblox has issued a statement strongly disputing the claims and asserting their commitment to safety and advanced safeguards.
