3. oktoobri Puhata ja mängida: Microsoft ja Sony kolistavad valjult ämbreid

·1 hr 30 min·5 clips

A Saudi investment fund plans to buy Electronic Arts for $55 billion, a deal that could force EA to make harsh, profit-driven decisions.

The episode opens with hosts Rainer Pettersson and Martin Mets setting a somber tone, stating that big, important things have happened and the news is largely negative. They begin with industry news, focusing on a planned $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts by a Saudi state investment fund and other investors, a deal expected to finalize in 2027. The hosts dissect the implications, noting the deal involves taking on $20 billion in debt that EA will have to repay, which could lead to layoffs, a focus on only the most profitable franchises like annual sports games, and decisions driven purely by financial interests rather than gamer desires. They mention the involvement of Jared Kushner and predict regulatory approval. The conversation shifts to Ubisoft's new joint studio venture with Tencent, called Vantage Studios, where Tencent holds a 25% stake, which the hosts see as less immediately negative for gamers. Next, they tackle Microsoft's restructuring of Xbox Game Pass into new, confusing tiers like Essential, Core, and Premium, with significant price increases—the Ultimate tier may rise to around 30 euros per month. The hosts express skepticism and compare it to telecom companies obfuscating package comparisons. They then discuss Sony's new PlayStation 5 revision, a smaller, lighter digital version sold in Europe for 499 euros, which has only 825 GB of storage (about 667 GB usable) compared to the launch model's 1 TB, representing a price increase and storage decrease over four years—an example of shrinkflation. The episode includes a segment looking back ten years in gaming, mentioning titles like Soma, Metal Gear Solid V, and the announcement of the System Shock remake. Finally, the hosts share personal game recommendations: Martin praises the strategic deckbuilder Clover Pit (9 euros) and the awkward walking simulator Baby Steps (18 euros), while Rainer talks about playing fan-made remasters like Super Mario Bros. Remastered on Steam Deck and the decade-old Quantum Break.

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