# [[MFP13 - “Go Back to Daddy Microsoft” with Tomas Franzese]] Transcript This transcription was completed on March 4, 2026 with the application MacWhisper on macOS. This was done automatically, without human input during the transcription process. The transcription used the Parakeet v3 model. My hope is that by offering this transcription – however accurate it may be done by a machine learning/AI – will help you, the listener. I’d love to offer full, proper transcription some day, but that is not feasible at this time. Thank you for listening and reading. I hope you enjoy the show and that this document was helpful. Enjoy. --- Hello everybody and welcome to the Max Frequency Podcast. *00:00* I am your host, Max Roberts, and on this fine and dandy episode 13, I'm joined by my friend and *00:03* writer oh staff writer official title over here staff writer over at digital trends tomas franzizi hello tomas how are you *00:12* Good, good. *00:20* You you said my name right, which I'm I'm happy about. *00:20* Thank you for having me. *00:24* Oh of course, Tomas, of course. *00:25* Um *00:27* Thank you for coming and joining me. *00:28* I just kind of sent you a a message out of the blue the other day and said, Will you please come talk to me on my podcast? *00:30* And you were you were gracious enough to to join me this fine evening. *00:35* Uh you had to consult my uh agent and Mr. *00:40* Big Time over here over at Digital Trends. *00:46* formally of inverse uh humble beginnings at dual shockers. *00:48* See, I was there, you were there, you you have ascended to the stars, and I'm like, here, I have my own website. *00:52* Welcome to the early two thousands where people started blogs. *00:58* Uh that's me. *01:03* That's me over here. *01:04* But we we're gonna dive right into the Halo trailer because *01:05* You mentioned it in the pre-show. *01:12* I watched it, but had a heart attack at the volume, and then watched it. *01:14* So my feelings are very raw. *01:19* Yeah. *01:22* Uh *01:23* It so the these Halo shows coming to Paramount Plus in March at some point. *01:24* Whatever. *01:30* Video games are now turning into TV shows. *01:31* There's The Last of Us. *01:33* Uncharted has a movie out in a month. *01:34* There's a twisted metal show in production. *01:36* This is none of this is really new per se, but Halo, very big, coming in. *01:38* They just put the full trailer out at the playoff game before the Super Bowl was at the Chiefs and the *01:44* Whatever. *01:51* It's Chiefs and the Bengals. *01:52* Bengals upset and beat him. *01:53* So. *01:55* Very good. *01:56* A very good upset. *01:57* So they *01:58* Tomas, if we're never gonna see Chief's face or bot like we're not gonna see him talk. *02:02* We're not gonna see his mouth move. *02:09* Why can't we just use the actor for cheap? *02:11* So I have a feeling they're going to go the Mandalorian route with it. *02:15* Like basically just copy it. *02:20* where it's like it's part of his like code as a Spartan that we don't see his uh don't see his face and uh they're gonna kinda play it like Darth Vader where like you see him like scarred from the back. *02:22* a little bit and then in like the climactic scene at the end, like one of his characters, maybe that uh like the girl who was talking to him in the trailer, like has to take his helmet off for some reason. *02:34* And then it's like a he it's a huge end of season reveal or something. *02:45* Uh and they've confirmed this as a separate timeline technically. *02:48* Uh so *02:53* I guess there's that for the slightly What is that what does that even mean? *02:54* Halo doesn't have like timelines. *02:58* So it's like this *03:03* Like I think they are kind of retelling Halo 1, but like it's not a direct adaptation. *03:05* It's like, oh here's excuse me, here's our take on on Halo 1 and like a separate universe. *03:11* Okay *03:17* Here's w all the characters and the property you know, but we're just gonna shake it up and tell it the way we want to for TV purposes. *03:18* Pretty much *03:26* It's that that the the f because he just sounds it's one of those things, it's just off enough like um *03:28* Like Star Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy game. *03:36* He's just he's like just close enough *03:40* to Chris Pratt, but also just off enough. *03:44* It's like, ah, I don't know about this. *03:47* We should have just like gone harder in one direction, I think. *03:50* Yeah, it's it's that's one of the hardest things about video games because *03:53* voice acting is such a pivotal part of it. *03:57* I mean, like, if we were to adapt like Pokemon or something where there's no voice actor attached to it. *04:00* Um it isn't that as much of a like issue. *04:07* But with things like I think you can even apply this to Tom Holland in the Uncharted movie. *04:10* Like when you you have such a firm like notion of like, oh this is what this character looks like and sounds like. *04:14* uh that when they kind of come in with something different and it's it's very off-putting. *04:21* And even in the case of like Cortana, people don't like how she looks. *04:26* That is the voice actress for Cortana, but we're just used to only hearing her voice. *04:29* uh with the in-game model, but now it's like we're we're seeing and hearing her and so I think it's it's just kind of a shock to people because we spent so long with certain looks that you obviously *04:35* can't always replicate in live action. *04:46* And so I think that that's one of the outside of any of the the already tough stuff with like having to write and adapt it. *04:48* It's like a sp then when as I think it's also something Last of Us is gonna go into because you go into these story games where part of the reasons those like Master Chief's voice is iconic. *04:55* Cortana's voice is iconic. *05:04* And it's like, so there's certain like there's a reason they didn't get rid of Cortana's voice because they they knew they could kind of get *05:06* away with that, but Master Chief's voice actor is older, I believe, and not really like an action lead, so I understand why they recast him. *05:13* But yeah, I think it's just kind of a *05:20* a tricky subject about like, oh we need to kinda be faithful, but we can't unless we just want to recast everyone from the game and not have like Hollywood names that will sell this to execs. *05:22* Like uh it just creates this dissonance. *05:33* Yeah, it's they c but they also could have just animated Cortana. *05:36* I mean, I think she looks like as a person she looks fine, but she just doesn't look like the Cortana that we've *05:42* seen for twenty years and that's just off putting. *05:48* Not that I even think people would have been okay with it if they like just kind of upped the I mean I know visual effects are more complicated, but like up the blue shading. *05:50* on her because like they're they're already doing like some CG stuff with her because she did kind of have a different hue but like if you made her really blue *06:00* Like I think people would be like, oh okay, it looks weird because she's the voice actress, but like okay. *06:07* But I think it's the fact that like you can clearly see a skin. *06:13* like a tan skin color under that when we're just kind of used to like blue skin. *06:16* That uh like you know if like the the people from the Avatar movie came out and it was just one of them was like human skin, you'd be uh a little thrown off. *06:20* So yeah. *06:29* It's you know, I uh I don't have Paramount Plus. *06:30* I try to keep the streaming services pretty, you know *06:35* uh keep the trim the fat off of as it were for the monthly bills. *06:39* But you know, if it gets good enough buzz, I'll t I'll check it out for sure. *06:42* Just as a a curiosity thing. *06:45* You know, you you brought up Uncharted and that's out in a month. *06:48* I just bought my tickets for it the other day. *06:53* And Tom Holland is *06:56* Is not Nathan Drake, but he's a closer cell to me because we have an idea of like a young teenage-ish Drake. *06:58* From Uncharted 3, I think the more off-putting casting is Wahlberg as Sully. *07:06* Like he's just not Sully. *07:12* He's not an old man. *07:13* Yeah, no, I I get that. *07:15* Even Tom Holland, I think the issue is that for me at least, uh, he's doing the Spider-Man voice. *07:16* Like I get as a British actor, you have like your American accent. *07:22* But I think just like Tom Holland's American accent is Spider Man. *07:25* Spider Man. *07:29* So now now he's doing it as uh Nathan Drake. *07:30* Then I'm just kinda like I'm like, oh it's like uh Spider-Man No Way Home. *07:32* sequel or Spider-Man's Nathan Drake. *07:36* Uh it's just the alternate. *07:39* It's just one of the the multiverse universes. *07:40* Yes. *07:43* I mean Sony does make the Spider-Man game, so they they could connect them if they really wanted to. *07:44* I actually wouldn't be surprised if we see um *07:50* Spider-Man in the uh MCU, like from the video game eventually. *07:54* Like I know there was an Easter egg in Far From Home of his costume. *07:59* But like if if if you just have him show up in the suit and then have Yuri Lowenthal do the voice and then have like Ben Jordan or whoever his like character model be under the suit, like I I actually think they could do it and just never unmask him. *08:03* Or just like or unmask them and ADR it. *08:17* Like I do think it's actually possible to that they could do that. *08:19* They absolutely could do that. *08:23* And you know, they did it in *08:24* Spider-Verse, they had the suit there in the background. *08:26* So you know. *08:28* That would probably be the Oh imagine if in across the Spider-Verse he just ends up in the game and it looks like the game. *08:29* That would be that'd be pretty cool. *08:36* They have a lot of potential there. *08:38* It's interesting to see these game companies kind of flex their entertainment branches or connections. *08:40* So like Sony has *08:50* you know, they make movies and TV shows, so you know, that's part of Sony as a company. *08:52* Microsoft is not, so that's why, you know, they s work together with companies to produce and create the *08:56* this Halo show. *09:04* And I feel like we're kind of getting this influx here of video game focused *09:06* Con movies and TV shows specifically. *09:13* I mean, you mentioned The Last of Us Show that's coming out soon. *09:15* I taught I I mentioned Twisted Metal. *09:17* Now there's Halo and *09:20* The rock the other day was teasing a new video game movie. *09:23* There's just seems to be more of a cultural awareness of *09:27* Video games and wanting to tap into them for film and TV. *09:33* And I'm, you know, I'm curious to see how this all pans out. *09:39* for these companies because it's I feel like Sony has kind of the upper leg here because they already have these connections and relationships in place and Microsoft kind of just is gonna have to *09:44* sell around almost like Disney sells their IP to developers to make games. *09:56* It's almost like Microsoft takes their game IP and sells it to studios to make movies and TV shows. *10:01* Sure, yeah. *10:07* And but I mean and that there's advantages and disadvantages to that. *10:07* Like obviously the biggest problem with Sony is going to be quality, like, if the Uncharted movie isn't very good. *10:11* and like the Ghost of Shishima movie and The Last of Us Show aren't very good. *10:18* Like, yeah, you're doing it in-house, but like, uh if if quality's a problem, then like *10:23* they're still not going to be successful. *10:29* Whereas Microsoft could say like, well they did say like, oh Paramount, we're going to give you this IP. *10:31* They could be like, oh Disney, we're going to give you a Fable. *10:36* or something uh that just as a random example. *10:40* Um and who knows they could go and actually they can choose who they partner with and make something better whereas *10:43* That almost might cripple Sony where they kind of have to go to the Sony execs and be like, please make it under your constraints instead of looking for the best partner. *10:49* That's an interesting I *10:58* For b in all honesty, I don't expect the Uncharted movie to be very good. *11:01* Um just because it's been stuck it's in stuck in development for so long, directors have changed at least twice. *11:06* You know, I've only seen one trailer, it just looks like this strange amalgamation of the games. *11:12* I I my curiosity just uh I have to s like satisfy that angle. *11:19* Um *11:25* It's funny, you know, when I told Abby before, but she forgot, and then she's like, There's an uncharted movie coming out. *11:26* It's like, why didn't you tell me about this? *11:32* I'm like, well, I did. *11:33* Second of all, like *11:35* Yeah, sh her goal was like, why are you not more excited about this? *11:36* I'm like, cause I'm really worried about it. *11:39* Yeah, that's I mean, the companies look and they see like, oh, Uncharted's like a *11:44* however million or billion dollar franchise, like we just like copy paste in the movie and we'll make that same money. *11:48* But I think also I'm I mean like all entertainment fan bases, gaming fan bases are very, you know, rabid *11:55* And whereas like I personally think the Halo trailer is looks mostly good. *12:02* I know so like people have their issues with it, but then like you have the one Cortana thing. *12:07* And the entire Halo fan fan base is going to attach onto that and like hate it. *12:11* And then they might choose to hate the show in turn because of that one thing. *12:16* So you attract that when you kinda go into these new audiences. *12:19* of uh you know gamers quote unquote. *12:23* But is that is that just the vocal minority then do you think? *12:26* Because I'm I'm curious to see what *12:30* uncharted sale, you know, is received in theaters and stuff. *12:33* You know, my parents talked about wanting to go see it. *12:36* You know, my parents know I play the uncharted games, but they, you know, they've never sat down and played it. *12:39* They really don't know anything beyond *12:44* It's a video game that my son plays. *12:46* That that's definitely a thing. *12:49* I know uh I mean even just different adaptations and stuff. *12:50* And uh what was the what was the last big anime to to live action thing that came out last year? *12:54* Anime to live action? *13:01* Or was it anime or was anime something? *13:02* I forget what it was, but there was some like animated thing went to live action last year and like oh cowboy beebop. *13:05* Uh is what I'm thinking of. *13:11* And yeah, I mean people didn't like Cowboy Bebop. *13:13* And like my dad even I've tried showing him the or I haven't tried showing him, but he's like seen the anime before and didn't really *13:15* like it, but he loved the live action show. *13:21* So I think it's just a thing where there are like non-gamers who like won't care about Uncharted Story 'cause like *13:24* I'm not going to play a video game, but then they they see the same thing in a movie form and they may actually enjoy it because they're like, oh, it's this is the way I can easily experience it. *13:30* Whereas like if if they don't want to s sit down and play a game. *13:39* So that is the market you're going for, but it's also but you're you also want the gamer market because if your fans hate the movie *13:42* Like, it's probably not gonna get the word of mouth to attract those new people. *13:49* Cause what you want to do is get like me to be like, oh dad, do you want to come see this with me? *13:53* And then my dad ends up *13:57* really liking it and then like going out and buying the uncharted remastered collection or something. *13:58* Like that's that's the the the high level goal here. *14:03* That's the goal. *14:06* But but it's it's tricky when your your fan base might end up hating the the movie for various reasons. *14:07* Yes. *14:14* I think a real the real test is gonna be, at least currently, is going to be the last of us TV show on HBO. *14:15* Because it's got the cachet. *14:24* I don't think that's gonna I don't think it's gonna I think that's gonna be disappointing. *14:26* I love I love Pedro Pascal. *14:30* I love who they got playing uh Ellie. *14:31* Because Hilda is a very good show. *14:34* But I just yeah, that even Last of Us was like so specifically like what it was, and it doesn't even seem like they're adapting the whole game. *14:36* in the first season and like I don't want to see the first like four hours of Uncharted adapt or of uh Last of Us adapted. *14:45* I want to see like the whole game adapted into like one season. *14:52* But then it's also like why don't I just go play in the game for like the same amount of time if I wanna I wanna see that. *14:56* So it's so it's a tricky situation *15:02* I'm curious to see how that plays out. *15:04* But yeah, you you are right though that that'll be the that'll be the make or break. *15:05* Like if last of us is bad, then may make people go like, okay, uh maybe not so much. *15:09* It's gonna be, you know, cause it has the cachet of HBO attached to it. *15:15* It's got the guy I'm blanking on his name now. *15:20* Yeah, Chernobyl guy. *15:24* Mandolin, Chernobyl guy. *15:25* Neil is still attached to the project as a producer along with the other Naughty Doc co-president who's Eric. *15:28* Eric Williams? *15:36* Yes? *15:38* Sure. *15:38* Now I'm blanking on it. *15:40* Now I have to type it in. *15:41* But, you know, this one seems to have a lot of there's a lot of oomph behind it. *15:43* Evan Wells. *15:48* My apologies. *15:49* I I mixed uh Christoph and Evan. *15:50* Anyway, it's it just seems like kind of the *15:53* the make or break video game TV show thing right now. *15:59* It could easily tie into whatever the multiplayer Last of Us game that they're *16:02* They have been working on. *16:07* So then you've got this point of a game is coming out, the show's coming out, just like Uncharted here with the movies coming out, the remaster for PS5 just came out. *16:08* which is doing really big sales. *16:18* The the PS5 console and Uncharted itself was the uh was the top selling PS4 game, Uncharted 4 was until *16:20* God of War came along. *16:29* So now you've seen that kind of get a new breath of life here on the PS5. *16:31* And God of War, ironically, on PC, and then Uncharted's coming to PCs. *16:35* It's just like *16:38* These are cash cows for Sony on the PlayStation side of things. *16:39* And now we we've got this coming into TV and film. *16:43* And we're gonna see how it shakes out. *16:49* And I feel like Uncharted's not gonna land stick the land in, and I hope the last of us does *16:51* Yeah, yeah. *16:57* I I'm not the biggest fan of that approach because I almost think in a weird roundabout way this almost brings us back to the licensed game days where I'm afraid like you know, I think there's the rumors that like there's the new twisted metal *16:58* And they're timing it for the show. *17:10* And it's kind of like, oh well, but then if you're telling those people like, oh, you have to get it done within like the next year and a half. *17:12* So we can have it ready to go with the show. *17:19* Like that causes crunch, that ca causes quality issues and all these other things. *17:20* So I am curious if like *17:25* Sony starts forcing that more if their their quality drops. *17:27* Because you know, Sony's usually known for like we have a really high bar of quality, and even if we we don't own everything like Microsoft, like when we put out a game, it's like *17:31* the best game of the the month or year it's in. *17:40* Uh so yeah, I am a little f afraid that if they start like rushing stuff to meet these media tie-ins. *17:43* that like it'll cause a drop in quality because they care more just about having a a product to go alongside it. *17:50* Like I mean even the Uncharted Remasters I think were received well, but like they didn't have multiplayer *17:56* Like to me that also should have just been like a free upgrade, because they did free upgrades for a lot of the other games. *18:02* All of Xbox's next gen upgrades were free. *18:07* Uh so yeah, it's just ki it puts these weird situations where it's kind of like I feel like we're you we're we almost returning to the licensed game eras, but it's like first parties. *18:10* Lic making like I I wanna be s actually you know what now that I think about it, Halo's second season is probably gonna line up exactly with the TV show. *18:20* With the show. *18:29* Yeah, now that I think about it. *18:30* So there's probably gonna be some *18:31* Cross promotion there. *18:33* Yeah, that makes sense. *18:34* I wouldn't be surprised if in the game you can get a set of armor from the show or it just seems to be more and more that *18:35* entertainment across different mediums is gonna start merging more and more. *18:46* Yeah. *18:50* Which I suppose creates the m the the metaverse, I suppose. *18:50* I don't know. *18:55* Um *18:56* But which just we're gonna start being berated on all sides of like Halo's over here and Halo's over there or Uncharted's here and Uncharted's there. *18:56* Twisted metal is *19:05* Back. *19:06* So here you go. *19:06* Have a show. *19:08* Have a movie. *19:09* Have a book. *19:09* Have a game. *19:10* And it's like, well, it's all just *19:11* Take a breath here. *19:14* Yeah, I mean it's I think g IP IP in the modern era is just so valuable and games. *19:14* I think that's that's the other reason I think you're seeing *19:21* uh Hollywood Studios turn to it is that they're they're looking for known franchises that are safe bets. *19:23* They've tapped out the comic book vault and so now they're coming to the video game. *19:30* Yeah, so now now you get all these IPs with built-in fan bases, potential for new fan bases, and are kind of just like, oh, let's throw that on the screen. *19:34* And then eventu eventually someone's gonna come come along like Disney and perfect it. *19:42* It might not be Halo, it might not be Last of Us, but like maybe Illuminations of Mario Bros. *19:47* movie. *19:52* Does it. *19:52* The Sonic movies are doing well. *19:53* So something's going to like nail it and then everything's gonna kinda sprout and copy that. *19:54* Yes, I agree. *20:00* I was um I haven't actually read slash listened to the interview yet. *20:01* uh been meaning to, but I did start reading it the other uh morning. *20:05* It's this MPR interview uh about Uncharted *20:10* And like how they reverse engineered movies to make the games and now the games are being reverse engineered to make a movie. *20:14* And it's got it's an interview with Neil Truckman and uh *20:21* Uh aside, I'm gonna botch this, uh, Quizzlebash. *20:25* Uh he's the head of PlayStation Productions and uh *20:30* Quote, we've got ten shows and films in development in total on PlayStation Productions. *20:33* So they've got I mean, they're really seeming to leverage their own IP to make shows and movies, and we know of at least *20:38* Three of them. *20:48* Four of the game. *20:49* Ghost of Metal, Ghost of Shoshima, Last of Us and Uncharted. *20:50* Thank you. *20:53* And then I w you got it got a war they gotta have in the works, because that's that did so well. *20:54* Horizon Horizon, there's probably something in the works. *20:59* Yeah, Horizon's gotta have its own show. *21:03* Yeah, anything that was a hit in the PS4 era, I think, is *21:05* Gran Turismo, the show. *21:10* Yeah, let's get the the the the Grand Tour guys. *21:12* The Gran Turismo turn. *21:17* Bring back the testers. *21:19* There we go. *21:21* That's what all I'm saying. *21:21* Bring back the testers. *21:22* So, you know, it's it's an interesting time. *21:24* And it is. *21:29* We'll see how Halo works. *21:32* Because I guess Halo is really because Halo has also been in its own development kind of rut for a very long time and it's it's coming out here in two. *21:33* That and Gears of War, I've heard for like the last decade they were happening. *21:42* And Gears of War still is like nowhere to to be found, but we got Halo, so *21:46* Well yeah, we'll see how that all shakes out. *21:52* And um, you know, about 25 minutes in the show, if I can count time. *21:55* Uh hi Tomas, you have a new job. *22:01* Oh yeah, that thing. *22:05* Yep. *22:07* Yeah, that that job that keeps you, you know, food on the table. *22:08* Mm-hmm *22:12* Uh yeah, I guess I'll introduce it. *22:13* Yeah. *22:14* I uh so yeah, previously I from 2016 to early 2020 I worked at Dual Shockers. *22:15* That's where I met Max. *22:22* Uh I was a staff writer and then a news editor there, kind of more on a volunteer basis. *22:24* And then I was a part-time video game newswriter at Inverse from early 2020 to late 2021. *22:30* uh basically last December. *22:38* And then I got a full-time job offer at Digital Trends to be their uh new gaming staff writer. *22:40* And so I I started in January and I've been *22:46* Uh I've gotten some articles done since then in my first like week and a half there, and I'm I'm liking it a lot so far. *22:51* So yeah. *22:58* Yeah. *22:58* I was looking through all your stuff over there. *22:59* I kept clicking the see more articles button and realized, oh wait, he just started this job. *23:01* There aren't more articles. *23:05* But uh yeah. *23:14* Well uh uh first I just want to say congratulations, this is awesome. *23:15* Digital trends is big. *23:18* Um, you know getting the full-time like news writing job I feel like is actually rare in this space these days now. *23:20* Yeah, I remember seeing some I forgot who it was, but some it might have been on Min Max or something, but some podcasts I was listening to, they like mentioned that there were like less like more people or famous musicians than there are like full-time *23:28* gaming writers. *23:43* So it's it's like some ridiculous thing where like, yeah, there's probably only about like uh a hundred and something people that are paid a full-time wage to *23:44* like right about video games. *23:53* So it's nice to finally break through. *23:55* It's it's it's a grind. *23:57* It's been five years and I kinda got an early start. *23:58* But I I'm definitely happy to be kind of full time and finally like *24:02* Like I was I was okay before, but just kind of to to be able to see a future a as like a full time uh having a full-time job in the industry is like a really nice feeling. *24:06* Yeah, I can I can only imagine. *24:16* I, you know, I remember getting some f the freelance opportunities at IGN to do some wiki guide stuff and was like, I can see it. *24:18* And *24:26* I did not go there. *24:27* But that was a choice of mine. *24:28* And so but I see people like you or Logan Moore who *24:30* have grinded and put in the work and the time and now b you know, both of you, for ex the example's sake, uh you know, have full time jobs writing at major publications. *24:35* Actually doing the writing part of it. *24:46* I feel like the video game coverage industry now is mostly podcasts and videos and streaming, which is its own *24:48* form of entertainment and providing information, but like the when I went to college, I wanted to do the writing side of things, and then while I was in college, it just all seemed to pivot. *24:57* Toward video and podcast and you know, events and streaming and things. *25:09* And it's nice when I see people come up and actually do the writing side of it because I feel like it's going away. *25:14* Yeah, oh yeah, no, I mean I I totally get your point. *25:22* And yeah, that's honestly the thing too, is like I I mean I love video games obviously, but like I also do this because I I love writing. *25:24* You know what I mean? *25:33* That's that's one thing where it's like, yeah, obviously there's the the notion of like, oh, you sit down and play video games all day and it's like, no, I do this because like I get to interview people, I get to *25:34* play gre games and then critique them. *25:44* I get to write news, which I like enj enjoy doing and I really enjoy my job. *25:46* Uh but y but yeah it's it's kinda pivoted recently. *25:51* It's also a huge like *25:54* If if you're going just off the quality of your work, it takes a really long time to get noticed. *25:56* A huge part of it, I mean, if anyone who's like uh new to writing is listening, like it is who you know. *26:00* Like you got you. *26:07* Every every job is about who you know. *26:09* Yes, but I mean even more so than like other industries. *26:11* Like if you want to go full time, like *26:14* be friends with somebody who is full time at a publication. *26:16* Like the c that that is one thing I wish I kind of knew earlier on. *26:20* But I mean I do also like that I didn't because it meant I also kind of got the work ethic and work *26:24* quality in because I know the I know people burn out because like they they don't spend enough time like honing the writing part of it. *26:30* Uh like you look at like Philip Muson or whatever at IGN where it was kinda like he kinda got picked and put on IGN with like not a lot of experience. *26:36* And then like it ended up backfiring really badly. *26:44* So yeah, I just think it's like it's like obviously who you know is a very big part of it, but also just like get get to the point where you're confident in your work. *26:48* And yeah, it's so yeah, things just happen to line up where uh like my and my current editor Giovanni, I happen to work at inverse with him *26:56* briefly for about six months and then uh this opportunity opened and uh because I I I knew him but also because my work was of high quality like I was able to interview and get get the position *27:04* Uh so yeah, I think it's just you you gotta grind for a long time until you know enough people have enough good work and then you apply to something and then you happen to get noticed and then you happen to get interviewed and then you're you're hopefully not ghosted. *27:16* Buy a month uh which happens in the industry, unfortunately. *27:30* Uh and so it happens. *27:34* Yeah it happens everywhere. *27:36* Yeah, that that's basically my route. *27:37* But yeah, like I said, so it's kind of be good to finally be over the the hump of all that. *27:39* We're like, I'm I'm here. *27:44* And then I and like I I am I am full excuse me, I am full time writing about games at a at a website. *27:46* So yeah, it's it's nice to finally to kind of be at the the summit. *27:53* And then look and be like, oh, that's a the larger mountain of IGN over there. *27:57* But I'm just gonna stake my claim on the summit for as long as I can. *28:01* Yes. *28:05* Uh it's it's super great to see. *28:06* I'm uh *28:09* One of the things that I've kind of observed, and I don't think it's like a an astute observation, like, oh look at me, I've had an epiphany about the industry. *28:11* But in my time of *28:22* From the moment I realized that people could get paid to write about video games to you know, c at the end of college when I was trying to to get into this field in a full-time capacity, I realized that *28:24* The bulk of at least the major outlets I believe or have seen were based out west in California. *28:39* They're, you know, San Francisco, LA, those types of spaces. *28:48* And part of the job was moving there to that location. *28:52* And I had to I had to move for digital trends. *28:57* I mean I lived in when I worked at Dual Shockers and Inverse, I lived in Virginia. *29:00* And then and Virginia actually has a couple now with uh Washington Post and Axios. *29:05* But I I didn't I applied to those and didn't get those. *29:10* Uh but then I ended up moving to Chicago for digital trends because I couldn't work in Virginia for that. *29:13* So *29:19* Uh like that's the other tough thing, is that like uh I d I'm not gonna share like exact details, but this isn't the highest paying career. *29:19* Yet they like want you in all these like major expensive cities. *29:28* So then there there's also a whole like privilege aspect to it where it's like it's a bunch of white men doing it because they can uh they have the the means and *29:31* can do it. *29:41* So yeah, th I just uh I I'm I am happy to see it kind of getting more decentralized recently where like more places seem open to remote work. *29:42* Uh well that was I kind of had been hoping that there were a couple of moments where I thought kind of signaled that the games industry can move out of major cities and particularly the West Coast. *29:51* There was a br about a year, year and a half where Daniel Dwyer moved to the East Coast when he and his wife, they had a baby and they kind of moved out there and he did *30:03* no clip documentaries from the East Coast for about a year and a half. *30:14* And I thought, wow, this is moving out of argue like this *30:18* this well of locations and developers and resources to do the same type of high quality interviews. *30:23* He's since moved back to California out west, you know, which is *30:30* Totally fine. *30:34* I just thought that was an interesting kind of blip. *30:35* And I know that uh Colem Moriarty is out there in Virginia, so that's last stand media. *30:37* They do obviously all their work kind of remotely and on the east coast. *30:43* But mostly I kind of was hoping that the last two years of COVID and mo working from home for most people, working remotely. *30:48* kinda would kind of light up the hey, you can write about this stuff from anywhere, which was gonna lead me to ask if you were moving to Chicago because you wanted to or because you had to, and it sounds like you had to. *31:00* Well yeah, I I had to I mean it was also a mix like I have friends and family here so like I didn't I didn't mind moving and like I was also at the age like I was still living with my parents *31:14* So it's kinda like full time job coupled with, you know, moving out, going to a city I'm familiar with. *31:24* Like a lot a lot of things just happen to to line up well. *31:30* But yeah, I mean it's *31:33* It's tough because I mean I'm sure there are a lot of people also in my situation, but like if if I moved to New York or like LA or San Francisco for a job, like I I wouldn't know anyone or *31:35* or anything out there. *31:46* Like I visited those cities before, but I've never lived there, whereas I've lived in Chicago before. *31:47* Uh so yeah, it it's tough. *31:53* And *31:55* I don't see too much reason it shouldn't be decentralized. *31:56* Like I I get there's like tax issues and different stuff with that. *32:00* So but still I think like like my I've always worked remotely. *32:04* it is a job that can be worked remotely and I do think there is a benefit to to being in the office from what people have said. *32:08* But uh yeah, I I I just think with sites like IGN it's also a way to kinda I don't want to say gatekeep, but like *32:15* You know what I mean? *32:22* Like if you once IGN gets someone, they like get someone and they're out there and like they just moved to LA for this job, so they're gonna be dedicated to that job. *32:23* Uh so yeah, I think it's kind of that situation. *32:33* And then obviously it's just it's tech. *32:37* Like most tech companies are in New York and like uh SoCal. *32:39* So you're you're going to be in those spots. *32:44* That was one of the factors for myself when I realized that at least working in the industry in the traditional sense was not *32:47* for me because by the time I was out of college I had graduated a few months later I got married. *32:57* You know, I had met my wife in in school and *33:03* And then we got married. *33:05* And so suddenly moving to San Francisco was not just a me decision, but an us decision. *33:07* And when you take the the range of a salary of a writer *33:12* for a website like that and then you put it in one of, if not the most expensive city in the United States, it's just *33:17* And you're on the complete opposite side of the country from all of your family, at least in my particular case. *33:25* It just that's that's untenable. *33:32* It's just not a smart thing for us to do and it doesn't just impact *33:34* myself. *33:39* But it's I'm curious to see what the fallout of this is and the fallout of COVID. *33:41* It sounds really dark. *33:48* But it's it's an interesting *33:50* I think the last two years have really f forced companies to look at and assess. *33:53* And maybe not. *34:00* I know in particular uh Walt Disney World, at least where the parts that I work in *34:01* remote is not really like a option to choose. *34:07* Once the the company deems it safe to go back in, we'll be in. *34:12* And clearly we could do our job for the past two years. *34:16* And so it's interesting to see who what companies aren't willing to give up and what will be. *34:19* Because there are benefits to being in the office, but there are also b you know, it's one of these *34:25* gives and takes on both sides. *34:29* And y you look at the the events and streaming uh like E three or *34:31* Let's just say like revealing games in June, because what is E3 anymore even? *34:38* But that whole dynamic has changed over the past couple of years or *34:44* Gamescom and other events in the f in the fall and winter. *34:49* It's there's been a s a pivot, a shift, and I think a part of that should be the coverage of it. *34:53* We'll just see kind of what happens. *35:00* Yeah, no, it's it's a very interesting time. *35:03* And I I do think the I think that's also one reason you are saying more independent creators rise. *35:05* 'Cause like there are and the even all the YouTube channels, like like 'em or hate 'em, all those YouTube news channels, like I'm sure those were people who in in a world where you had the the *35:12* capability to work from anywhere might have ended up writing for a major website, but because uh of where they were located or who they didn't know or whatever, they ended up uh like doing it themselves. *35:24* Uh and I mean and you can always always do it itself yourself, like you know you have your you have this and uh your your website and everything. *35:37* Uh but yeah, it's it's just kind of uh weird, complicated *35:44* industry that I think is is a bit more stressful than most people would think at a glance. *35:48* So is digital trends offices they're in if they're in downtown Chicago? *35:55* Yeah, it's I it's still like I'm fully remote right now, but they have offices in uh Portland, Chicago, and New York, and then I I maybe some other places I'm forgetting. *36:00* But uh yeah. *36:11* So like they they eventually they'll have an office here. *36:12* But currently I'm remote, just living in Chicago. *36:15* Cool. *36:18* Have you been just to the office in general to grab anything or uh they've handled your onboarding entirely? *36:19* Like it's it's still closed. *36:25* It's like it's COVID, like no no one's back in. *36:26* No yeah. *36:29* Oh I fully get it. *36:30* Especially in big cities *36:31* Uh here in Florida, it you know, it doesn't exist, I guess. *36:33* Yeah. *36:38* So, you know, you depending on where you are. *36:39* Chicago doesn't seem like it's necessarily like Florida. *36:42* Virginia's kind of like that now too. *36:44* Okay. *36:46* So it's just creeping up the east coast here. *36:47* Pretty much. *36:49* Alright. *36:50* Uh you know, scrolling through some of the stuff you've written, your first *36:51* Your first piece looks like it was a review for Rainbow Six Extraction. *36:55* Uh no, it was actually the Microsoft Blizzard thing. *36:59* There's there's two. *37:02* Oh it was that. *37:03* Yeah, you have to yeah, I'm not sure if the page extended extender is working. *37:04* But yeah, that just Oh, that's right. *37:08* You were saying the button's not working. *37:09* Yeah, yeah. *37:11* But yeah, my first one was the your biggest questions about *37:12* the Microsoft Action Activision DL answered. *37:15* Um that just happened uh like literally the the week I started *37:18* Like the Tuesday the Tuesday before my first day writing where I was just I got kinda online and Microsoft acquired Activision, so basically right out of the gate. *37:23* I was I like reached out to people and it was the first thing I wrote was like this big feature about like the biggest gaming news of all time, maybe. *37:33* Uh so uh certainly certainly one of them in our lifetime. *37:42* Yeah. *37:46* What *37:46* Let's just use it. *37:47* Let's just pivot right into that because that's one heck of a story to break r on your first week on the job at an uh *37:48* Well, I I didn't break the acquisition story. *37:54* Well, you know what I no, you didn't break the news, but like the story broke and then it's like *37:57* Coincidence. *38:04* I know there were like when people I worked with at inverse saw that that was my first thing. *38:04* They were like, oh my god, what a what what a first week *38:09* Yeah, like you definitely had stuff to write about. *38:12* It was not a boring, slow week in the news cycle. *38:14* So *38:19* By the time this episode, like around the time we're recording this and by the time it should be out, it'll be roughly two weeks since the news broke, but Microsoft had announced that they were going to acquire Activision Blizzard. *38:20* sometime here in 2023 for uh the cool amount of what was it sixty eight point seven *38:33* billion dollars. *38:42* That's with a B. *38:43* Um an entirely all cash deal. *38:45* That is basically just Microsoft going to the bank of Microsoft. *38:48* and saying we would like to take half of our money out and give it to this company instead, which just is mind boggling. *38:53* Like *39:02* Do you write a check? *39:03* Like I don't understand how that part works. *39:04* But they've announced that they're th they're gonna buy Activision Blizzard, which *39:06* Means a lot of things. *39:11* It there's a lot of implications, a lot of angles, and there's been a lot of discussion. *39:13* And I've kind of been sitting and thinking and marinating for two weeks here. *39:17* And I wanted to talk to someone about it. *39:21* And I thought, why not the guy who wrote your biggest questions about the Microsoft Activism Deal answered to come and help *39:25* work through this. *39:34* There's a lot to kind of go through here. *39:35* And so uh I mean let's start with the *39:39* I want to say the the Call of Duty unionization that kind of angle of it. *39:47* So obviously Activision owns Call of Duty, they own *39:53* Candy Crush, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. *39:56* All of that will be owned by Microsoft, thus increasing their giant pool of now first party. *40:00* IP. *40:07* If you can't make them, just buy them. *40:09* And Microsoft is definitely flexing that muscle. *40:12* Um *40:15* But the big Yep one of the big clouds looming around it is multi-platform type decisions. *40:16* Specifically Call of Duty, because that's kind of the most famous out of the bunch for multi-platform reasons. *40:25* Maybe followed by Overwatch. *40:32* And then not *40:34* Just a couple of days after the announcement, it was Ravens uh QA team, correct? *40:37* Yeah, so okay. *40:46* Yeah, kind of kinda backpedaling a bit. *40:48* Like since this article it's also come out that Call of Duty is ex *40:50* exc exclusive through the end of next year. *40:55* Or not exclusive, as is on Sony through the the end of next year, uh, because there were like deals beforehand. *40:58* Uh so like yeah, this year's Call of Duty, next year's Call of Duty, and like a war Warzone 2, Bloomberg called it, is next year. *41:04* And then yeah, there was the *41:12* The Raven, I that situation's so tricky cause like the there was the yeah Raven was on a strike. *41:14* And then they did they unionized, then they dissolved their strike in good faith, and then the next day Activision told them all that they were *41:22* like getting rid of the QA department and putting everyone in individual departments. *41:32* So like the design QA will be with the design team, that kind of stuff. *41:36* Kind of and it it was like very clearly union busting. *41:41* And so now I think they have to they have to petition like the whole studio, which in in a right to work state like like Wisconsin that's more conservative may be difficult, which sucks because I mean it's just *41:44* The the the gaming industry should unionize with the conditions, like sp especially at Activision Blizzard, what's come out about them *41:55* Like it's the the union like there's a reason I put the unionization stuff first in the article because I do think the the human element is really important to consider Activision Blizzard like *42:03* Sever several emplo or not even several, like lots of employees were mistreated and they haven't done a great job at responding. *42:14* They've been union busting. *42:22* Uh and like that they're st still fighting it, but yeah, it it's a tricky situation because yeah, like I spoke to Jessica Gonzalez and I mean they're everybody in there is still like *42:24* Everyone who wanted to unionize is still gonna fight for it, but I do think that even if Bobby Cotick won't admit it in interviews and stuff, like that what happened last July was definitely the *42:35* the thing that made Activision like a like unredeemable to the point where they had to to sell to somebody in Microsoft. *42:46* was just kind of willing to absorb the blow because they're they're a big tech company. *42:55* So correct me if I'm wrong, and I I definitely could be wrong. *43:01* You're definitely closer to this. *43:05* And just i the news in the industry than I am. *43:07* But my understanding about the the QA being split up and put into different departments was actually *43:10* that that was in discussions according to emails prior to all of this and that even some QA people I saw on Twitter were saying that they do prefer *43:15* like the actual QA part of the job being embedded in those teams. *43:26* That's the thing. *43:30* It is it is good, but in yeah, it was a whole thing where like it all started because they laid off *43:31* some people in like early December, uh when like r when they shouldn't have. *43:38* Uh and yeah, and uh I wouldn't be surprised if this is something they already kind of meant. *43:43* to do beforehand and yeah like I've seen the same tweets that kind of say like oh it's actually really good when you have QA but I do think like Activision *43:48* is purposefully going through with it because it also serves as a union busting technique. *43:58* Like the the fact that and I think it's also the fact that they didn't properly communicate it to those *44:02* Employees were like uh yeah, we were they gonna they kinda they waited until they were like reunionizing to go like *44:08* We're gonna make this tough for you. *44:16* Whereas like if they knew they were gonna do this in November, they should have told them in November and then being like, oh, we're gonna lay some of you off and the rest of you will be dispersed. *44:17* And you you don't like but instead they like they just fired people, didn't tell them anything, let them go on strike, waited till they dissolved the strike, and then told them what the situation was. *44:28* So th that makes it like I'm sure in a court of law it'd be tough to get him committed for uh like union busting, but uh like it's c it's fairly blatant, like that *44:40* Doing this means it's harder for the the union to happen. *44:53* Okay. *44:57* And then d y your your article talks about this where, you know, how does the purchase *44:58* itself impact unionization attempts. *45:05* Um it sounds like it doesn't necessarily like it it doesn't change at least the unionizing angle of it. *45:08* Like they're still gonna try and push. *45:15* for unionization. *45:18* Yeah, they they're gonna try. *45:19* I think if even if Raven isn't successful, I would not be surprised if Blizzard itself, I think, has the strongest momentum to to unionize. *45:21* Uh, even if Raven isn't successful. *45:31* But uh yeah, like I said though, but the it there's also the weird fact now that like it's *45:33* that Blizzard is a subsidiary within a subsidiary within a section of Microsoft. *45:40* So the union doesn't *45:46* Like yeah, so so m th like I said that's one of the reasons they they kind of sold because now it's like it's like yeah they can unionize and I think it'll be great for the workers and everything, but now it's just it's like one chunk chunk of a mega conglomerate *45:48* company instead of like half your company. *46:02* So I think that's one of the reasons they sold. *46:05* It di Yeah, I mean Yeah. *46:07* Yeah. *46:09* It's officially it's *46:09* Officially it's we delayed Diablo 4 and our investors didn't like that, so we sold. *46:11* It's like if if studios sold every time they delayed a game, like the instructed look very different. *46:17* It would look very, very different. *46:23* It's so let's let's talk about those IP Diablo delayed. *46:25* I think Overwatch 2 was recently delayed. *46:30* I think even Phil Spencer said that he was in on a meeting *46:32* or talked about the over with the Overwatch 2 team, if I'm not mistaken. *46:35* Um Call of Duty, all hands on deck for Modern Warfare 2. *46:40* There's Warzone 2 rumors floating around. *46:45* Yeah, you wanna hear my uh theories for what's gonna happen to every IP? *46:48* Lay it on me. *46:53* Okay, so Call of Duty, this year it's on everything, next year it's on everything, Warzone's on everything and remains on everything. *46:54* Call of Duty then takes 2024 off and then comes back in 2025 as an Xbox exclusive. *47:02* Overwatch 2 launches multi-platform. *47:09* Because it benefits that as a multiplayer shooter. *47:12* Diablo is Xbox exclusive because there's Xbox guys already working on that and that seems further out than Overwatch. *47:15* uh just from like marketing. *47:21* So uh yeah that that's my theory. *47:24* And then everything else is just Microsoft. *47:26* Like if uh they make a new crash or spiro or *47:28* Transformers game or something like that'll just be on Microsoft. *47:31* Yeah. *47:35* I think it's actually quite hmm. *47:36* I was gonna say silly. *47:41* But I obviously don't handle multimillion/slash billion dollar corporations. *47:44* But when people wonder, you know, are these games going to be exclusive or stay multi-platform? *47:50* I feel like it's silly to think *47:55* that they are going to stay multi platform. *47:58* I mean when you spend sixty eight billion dollars, like you want *48:01* those games on your platform. *48:07* Now the interesting yeah the interesting kind of loophole you you could have is the Game Pass X Cloud angle of it where *48:09* It's not necessarily platform in the hardware sense, but platform in the service sense. *48:21* Oh yeah, you're you're gonna be able to play uh I mean I mean it's even a thing, like you're gonna be able to play the *48:28* Call of Duty 2022 or 2023, I should say, because that's when the acquisition will be. *48:33* But yeah, like uh if it's a new Call of Duty Black Ops like six next year or whatever, um you're going to be able to play that on your phone. *48:38* like via the cloud on Game Pass and stuff like that. *48:47* And it's even if Call of Duty stays multi-platform, like if your day one Game Pass title, like that's where people will go to play. *48:50* Hmm. *48:58* Yeah. *48:58* It's they they're just they've secured a catalog of first party games that can keep *48:59* Game Pass relevant. *49:08* Just imagine the the trailer. *49:10* You know what I mean? *49:12* Just uh they did it for Yakuza when it happened, but like there's going to be a I'm sure like *49:13* We'll get a trailer in like two years or whatever. *49:18* That's just like every Call of Duty game is on Game Pass. *49:20* And like literally, if you if you tell a casual gamer who only plays Call of Duty, like *49:23* Oh, you can you can buy PlayStation and then pay 60 bucks every year, or you can get the subscription service and get every Call of Duty ever. *49:29* Like on the service, like you're gonna go for the service that has every Call of Duty ha ever, also has Halo, also has all these other games day one. *49:37* for Microsoft and then also sometimes has like cool indies like Nobody Saves the World or third-party games like uh Outriders and even Sony games like ML MLB the show. *49:46* So yeah, it's it's game Game Pass is definitely the pe people I mean I know uh you like talked about the their financials where like this of the hardware is doing well, but yeah that *49:57* The 25 million on Game Pass I think is more important to them. *50:09* Or like like the the console's obviously important because it's the machine. *50:13* you play the the thing on but like it is like they they want as many people on that service. *50:19* Like they want it one to one where like everyone who owns an Xbox like has Game Pass. *50:24* Uh so yeah, well like you said, it's kind of the thing where it's Microsoft's like I'm sure Microsoft will continue to make gaming hardware just because there's *50:29* No reason not to do that, but uh like it it is very much like if they were to put Game Pass on PlayStation 5, like Call of Duty would be on PlayStation 5, because Microsoft's still many making money from Game Pass. *50:37* So and like they've kind of made that clear. *50:51* Like you can sorry, sorry, I'll let you speak soon, but uh yeah, you look at the the precedent like with what they've done with Bethesda, like I'm pretty sure this is gonna play out similarly. *50:54* It's like *51:02* Multi-plat stuff stays multi-plat. *51:02* Everything else is like on the on Game Pass wherever Game Pass is. *51:05* Call of Duty for the sake of discussion could be the Trojan horse to get Game Pass on PlayStation. *51:18* Yeah. *51:25* Um, you know, s forge some sort of deal with Nintendo or Sony or both to get the service *51:26* on competing hardware because in the at the end of the day, Microsoft's goal is just to get that services subscription revenue *51:34* consistent, you know, using a calculator, like a fancy person, uh a year of Game Pass Ultimate. *51:44* So that is *51:53* Obviously the most ideal subscription tier for Microsoft to like have a customer choose is $15, I think, a month or $180 a year. *51:54* And that's Game Pass on Xbox, that's the PC Game Pass, and that's the XCloud, the streaming part of it. *52:03* And yeah, that's two to three games a year, which is what most people probably buy. *52:11* Yep, and it's 180 bucks. *52:17* And so if you take that and you multiply that by 25 million, you get four and a half billion dollars. *52:18* Um obviously that is the most ideal scenario as far as subscription and tiers and things like that, but *52:25* You know, out of this 25 million, how many people are still coasting off of the one dollar uh conversion charge and just all this other stuff? *52:33* There's so many factors. *52:42* But Game Pass *52:43* Will make the seven you know, the sixty-eight billion back in due time, plus hardware sales, software sales outside of Game Pass. *52:46* through Game Pass. *52:57* It's just it eventually will make money and with the more first party titles in the catalog *52:58* the less important not that it isn't important, but the less important third party deals for day one titles *53:07* becomes because suddenly, you know, you just have the biggest IP coming in there all the time, or you make partnerships with other services like *53:17* Um it's not EA. *53:26* Is it EA play? *53:27* What is the service for EA called? *53:28* Yes, yeah, EA plays. *53:31* EA play in Ubisoft. *53:32* And then you also get like Disney Plus and Phoneimation. *53:35* Sure. *53:38* Discord Nitro. *53:38* Yeah, like you you get you get other stuff like Do you get Discord Nitro through Game Pass? *53:39* Or you get at least like a trial for the first time. *53:44* I was about to say I've been living without Nitro apparently. *53:47* Yeah, so it's uh *53:50* Yeah, it's I mean like I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if in March they're like, hey, you get Paramount Plus with it because of Halo. *53:52* Um Yeah, that would that just those are deals that just make sense. *54:01* Yeah, I mean so so yeah, that's kinda it's it's a platform first and foremost. *54:05* You get so much with it. *54:10* Like it's Microsoft strategy to be the the media box. *54:11* in your house like it's not even I think g I don't even think it's the box anymore. *54:14* I think because essentially any box it's the service. *54:21* Yeah any box is now the service. *54:24* Even my *54:26* Even an Xbox One, an original Xbox One here before too long will get an update and it can just be an XCloud streaming box. *54:26* Suddenly Yeah, what what I really want them to do, and I I I need to ask someone at Microsoft *54:33* somehow if this is possible. *54:40* If they were to ever get Xcloud working on an Xbox 360 where you could then play Series X games, I think that would be like mind-blowing. *54:42* I got so many people probably have 360s laying around. *54:53* And like it I don't know if it has the internet capability to do that. *54:57* Like I can't do that. *55:00* The bandwidth part of it. *55:01* I don't know. *55:03* But it's I mean if you think about it. *55:04* The idea they could do that. *55:06* They could. *55:08* And it's but there's phones everywhere. *55:08* TVs I think are starting to get the app if I remember correctly. *55:12* Uh the entire Xbox One generation will be able to do it, all the way from the weakest original Xbox One, which suddenly makes that console more powerful than it's ever been because it just *55:17* didn't have the capability to run most of Xbox's first party games at like the highest, you know, the native 1080p it could do. *55:29* And so now suddenly that console's more viable. *55:37* And if you can get it on a competing platform, say the switch, suddenly you have a portable market. *55:41* And uh and you know, who cares if they go out and buy the three hundred dollar switch, you're still getting the fifteen dollars a month. *55:48* from them for the Game Pass angle of it. *55:55* And if you could get it on PlayStation, which could eventually happen. *55:57* I mean, Sony clearly doesn't mind getting Game Pass money. *56:02* They put MLB the show on it. *56:07* Um last year, and I wouldn't be I wouldn't be surprised if they do it this year. *56:09* Yeah, so Sony's tough. *56:14* It's like like call like you mentioned earlier, Call of Duty might be the game that does it. *56:16* I do think Sony's stubborn enough where they're they're gonna not like Game Pass. *56:21* I think because they're doing Spartacus or whatever, they're uh I was gonna I wanna talk about that. *56:25* If that falls on its face, like then I could see them going like okay Game Pass. *56:31* But I think like like w this acquisition is basically like if it wasn't clear before, it's now very clear to Sony that like *56:36* Oh, this is like Microsoft's gonna snowball us in like uh several years. *56:43* Because if you look at my Microsoft's content plan, like for the past few years, it's all been like not a ton now, but like *56:48* In the late 2020s, like I don't know when it's gonna happen, but there's going to be a year over the next couple of years where like the floodgates of all these acquisitions open and we're just gonna get a ton of IP on Game Pass. *56:56* And uh that's when we'll see it pay off. *57:08* And I think that date keeps moving back because of COVID. *57:11* Like it seemed like it was gonna supposed to be timed with like the Xbox launch, but then that obviously didn't happen. *57:13* Um *57:20* But yeah, so yeah, like like I said, so the service is the end game. *57:21* And so s Sony's either like gotta get their service rolling *57:24* or then make their platform like, oh okay, we're we're a platform that also is snowballed by that service, but we also have dedicated fans that'll buy it for like God of War, which you can't play on Game Pass. *57:29* I *57:41* One of my I do these annual predictions every year of just kind of three predictions from the big three, what I think they'll do in the year. *57:42* And *57:50* Part of it this year for twenty two was about PlayStation's online subscription kind of the next era of that. *57:51* Because *58:01* Game Pass is clearly such if not a financial success because at least, you know, I would have argued up until this point it *58:02* I don't think it is turning a profit per se, but they are they're getting. *58:11* They said it's not burning money. *58:15* I d I who knows if they're lying or not, but Microsoft has claimed it's profitable. *58:16* Okay. *58:21* And it's Or like not profitable, not burning money, I think was the term they used. *58:22* So it's not generating a profit, but it's also not *58:27* Burning through all their money. *58:31* I think that wh how they're able to say that is that the money's separate. *58:32* Like it's Game Pass isn't spending the money. *58:36* It's Microsoft spending the money. *58:39* So Game Pass is just a revenue stream for them. *58:41* And then Microsoft is spending all these billions. *58:43* But then they also like *58:46* I mean, of course it's like it's not like one-to-one, but like, you know, if Windows 11 has a good year money-wise, like that money is goes into the pot that mic that game studios *58:47* can take out for activation. *58:58* So that that's the power of being a megacorp. *59:01* However they divide it up internally. *59:04* It all comes out of the same bank account, but it's all divided up. *59:06* And so so Sony's version of this, they you know, they have it segmented between PlayStation Plus, the online service, gets you a few free games a month. *59:09* Um and you can play your games online with friends and get exclusive discounts. *59:22* That's the equivalent to gold, Xbox Live Gold, which Microsoft still sells. *59:25* But is included with Game Pass Ultimate. *59:30* So that you know they still have their segmented plans as well. *59:33* And then there's PlayStation Now, which is kind of the XCloud slash Game Pass version. *59:37* of the service, which is a library of games, first and third party games, that you can stream. *59:42* And, you know, the last time I tried it was in a beta on the PS3 with um the Puppeteer. *59:49* And it did not run well, but that was again beta at launch PS3. *59:57* Here's the thing too, though. *01:00:01* It's uh PlayStation now, and I think the the biggest benefit of the subscription *01:00:03* like rebranding is that PS Now I I don't own it but it doesn't require the cloud anymore except for PS3 games. *01:00:08* Like you can just get PS Now and it like works like Game Pass. *01:00:16* where it's like you you just can just download these games on your PS4. *01:00:20* But I th I think those early years of PS now really hurt it where people kind of it got that um *01:00:23* that Stigma is a bad game streaming service. *01:00:29* So people don't understand that it's the It needs it's like a it's the closest thing they have to Game Pass. *01:00:32* So I think it needs a rebranding *01:00:38* Yeah, yeah. *01:00:40* And so I I still think it needs day one games to truly compete with Game Pass, but Sony won't do that because like I said, they're stubborn. *01:00:41* I I could see it though. *01:00:50* I could see the fur the day one first party game thing. *01:00:52* In exchange, so what what what do they trade off here? *01:00:56* Is they *01:01:00* They could have fewer third party games or fewer third party day one games. *01:01:02* Examples of like Back for Blood was day one on Game Pass or *01:01:09* Um what it what was that most recently though? *01:01:13* Another one that was like big. *01:01:16* It was anyway. *01:01:18* Rainbow Six. *01:01:19* Rainbow Six, thank you. *01:01:20* Instead of those sorts of deals, they could still have third party games, of course, but *01:01:21* They have their own games or day one and they Sony leverages their quality, which, you know, is definitely higher. *01:01:26* than Microsoft's at least for their first party launch, you know, their games and stuff. *01:01:36* Also though, depending on your audience. *01:01:41* If you're looking for a multiplayer game *01:01:43* Halo is clearly the option, but Halo is also free, so maybe that's not a great example. *01:01:45* And so it's just interesting market of *01:01:50* Sony needs to rebrand, repivot their services because they offer the same types of services, uh, but it's confusing. *01:01:53* There's just no brand *01:02:02* necessarily recognition, especially like the PS Now side of it. *01:02:05* It has a negative stigma to it from those early years, but it essentially *01:02:09* functions just like Game Pass does. *01:02:15* Logan used it for our God of War season and had no problem running PS3 games on his PS5 through the cloud. *01:02:18* Now that's those are PS3s in some building somewhere running these games, which is wild to think about, uh, because no one is cracked *01:02:26* that cell processor, like that is a cur that haunts them to this day, the cell processor does. *01:02:38* And that makes backward compatibility just so difficult for them. *01:02:44* But *01:02:48* I think that's the angle that's the part of it. *01:02:49* They could they may not have PC titles day one. *01:02:52* You know, they're clearly more comfortable. *01:02:55* With PC titles, it's essentially they've realized kind of the money they're leaving on the table. *01:02:58* We've got um what is it? *01:03:03* It stays gone. *01:03:06* Uh technically Death Stranding, God of War is now back, Horizons you're done. *01:03:08* Uncharted's coming *01:03:14* Clearly they're more comfortable with it. *01:03:15* Will Ragnarok come out to PC day and date with the the console release? *01:03:17* No *01:03:23* uh they will leverage their platform first and then rake in the money on PC later. *01:03:23* Eventually maybe those could be closer. *01:03:28* They made the purchase of Nixus last year, PC Port Studio, they now have that kind of capability in-house. *01:03:30* Which is good for Sony to have that. *01:03:37* So maybe this is something we see more common going forward here, like more PC titles day and date with their PS5, PS4 counterparts. *01:03:39* Could PSVR2 hook up to PCs? *01:03:50* Technically, possible, just based off the technology in the headset. *01:03:53* Will Sony allow that to happen? *01:03:58* I don't know. *01:04:02* Probably not, which would be really unfortunate um from that angle. *01:04:03* It's just *01:04:07* This is an interesting time where Microsoft is leveraging their strength of money. *01:04:09* And is and smart decisions that garner the goodwill of consumers and are just the right types of moves. *01:04:17* When you *01:04:25* When you sit down and look at it, the most accessible console to their own back catalog of games is the Xbox, which is the youngest out of like the big three hardware providers today. *01:04:26* Which is just baffling. *01:04:39* And leaning into that has been great for them. *01:04:41* And now they're leveraging their billions of dollars to just *01:04:43* Buy the library, you know, instead of producing it in-house, because producing these things in-house is hard. *01:04:48* They've I think they've learned that a lot over the last generation. *01:04:54* I think s someone's probably made this analogy before, but it's Disney Plus versus Net Netflix, I think is kind of the way to look at it, where it's like one of them soaking soaking up everything they can. *01:04:58* and acquiring enough stuff to be first party. *01:05:11* Whereas the other one might not have as much overall. *01:05:14* Like kind of like you were saying, I think how the Sony service is ultimately going to work. *01:05:17* is going to be like, okay, we may not have as much day one stuff, but like if you want the the highest quality games. *01:05:22* They're on the streaming service. *01:05:30* You know what I mean? *01:05:31* Like if basically if their focus is like, let's get the most critically acclaimed games on our streaming service, like that's the approach that I think could *01:05:32* Draw because like I mean obviously if you look at hardware numbers, like PlayStation is beating Microsoft. *01:05:42* So if you can get those people to subscribe, like you you could *01:05:47* Because I you won't immediately, but I think they could start going towards that 25 million Microsoft has. *01:05:52* But then when you get to that point, the problem then is expansion, whereas like *01:05:58* Sony needs the I think the end game with these streaming services is to to get him on as many platforms as possible. *01:06:02* So like does Sony service give you the PC version of God of *01:06:08* war like Microsoft's does, but like am I gonna be paying like sixty bucks a month to play God of War, but then I can't play it on PC? *01:06:13* uh like then that that makes the service less valuable in the consumer's eyes. *01:06:22* So I think those are the issues where Sony's kind of like uh *01:06:27* stubborn nature to stick to like paid releases will hurt them with a subscription service. *01:06:31* Like I do I do think they need to if Sony were to go like our games for day one on this service, like I think that would *01:06:37* make them a Game Pass competitor, but uh for now it just kind of seems like a Disney Plus situation where it's like you get all the best stuff like three months later. *01:06:44* Uh yeah, whereas Netflix is like you get the new Netflix movie the day it comes out. *01:06:55* And it's that Microsoft just has the capability to take hits. *01:07:00* Yes. *01:07:07* And so I do think while I agree on the stubbornness part of Sony, they also have to be to a certain extent because they *01:07:10* Of course. *01:07:19* They can't afford that many blows, so to speak. *01:07:20* Like they can't just bleed as much money. *01:07:23* Yeah, it's Xbox dropped so low with like the Xbox One that like they they know what the low low point *01:07:26* is for that brand. *01:07:32* So like as long as they don't drop back both below that line. *01:07:34* Like uh and I think like like the uh I'm the the acquisition like *01:07:37* is kinda like worrying from a business and political standpoint, but from a content and service standpoint, like it's a great acquisition because it's just *01:07:44* just adding value to that service. *01:07:54* Like I do honestly, like I know it's a meme, but like Game Pass is so good. *01:07:57* Like these these subscription services for games are really good. *01:08:01* Like I even like Stadia. *01:08:04* Um so like I I do you have Stadia? *01:08:06* I still do, yes. *01:08:10* Uh I have I have a Stadia controller in like Chromecast and stuff. *01:08:11* I don't have the service. *01:08:16* Um Yeah. *01:08:18* I've had a few free months, but I haven't I I don't pay for it actively. *01:08:20* And yeah, like like I don't think physical media or paid releases will go away. *01:08:25* But like just like it hasn't it's made like like Netflix and all these streaming services, like they've made the market smaller, but they haven't like *01:08:30* like killed theaters or DVDs. *01:08:38* Like I think it's gonna be the same way where like you people will still like, if you want the best experience playing a *01:08:40* a Sony game, like you will buy a PS5 and then buy a physical copy of God of War Ragnarok and play it like that. *01:08:46* Uh but like if you can then tell somebody, oh well you can like *01:08:54* you pay for the service and then play God of War Ragnarok on your phone. *01:08:58* Like that m gives the service more more value. *01:09:02* Mm-hmm. *01:09:06* I think it's gonna be a very *01:09:07* Interesting year to see that play out, especially with these the Spartacus rumors from earlier in the year or was it late in December? *01:09:12* I don't recall. *01:09:21* But it was last year, I think. *01:09:22* It was last year. *01:09:24* The It's a Xbox *01:09:25* Has done a lot to re like steer the ship from the Xbox One era. *01:09:31* Phil Phil has taken this *01:09:39* w what was thought to be a sinking ship to now a ship whose whose captain captain uh sa is it Sachinadella *01:09:42* I got a no I think it's a Sata Nadella. *01:09:54* Yeah. *01:09:57* Willing to spend half of their cash on hand into the future of gaming. *01:09:59* Um *01:10:04* And you know, part of there's there's a reason they uh Phil Spencer got a name change to CEO of Microsoft Gaming. *01:10:05* Like the yeah, it's like it is the *01:10:12* I think we're Micr Microsoft's basically betting. *01:10:14* Like I we we do say like, oh, it's like just a small part of a bigger business. *01:10:18* But I think like *01:10:22* My the the the advantage I think Microsoft has over like Amazon or Google is that like Xbox I think is like a big boy at the table now where it's like it's like oh we got Windows years of experience. *01:10:23* Yes. *01:10:36* They have the cachet and, you know, they know how to make games. *01:10:38* I i I talk a lot about just how *01:10:42* uh it's we you know you can't say it anymore and you weren't able to say it last year or even the year before but like you used to be able to say like what what exclusives does Xbox have it's Halo Gears and Forza. *01:10:45* Well it's obviously *01:10:56* many, many more now and they've just they've bought those but you know they are they are betting big *01:10:58* on the future of entertainment and people and their own technology because you know they're using their um cloud streaming and server technology *01:11:06* Azure to like push Xcloud. *01:11:15* So like Microsoft is is got this vertical integration to this insane level where now because they own so many studios, they design the hardware and the back end. *01:11:17* And they have such a foothold in the the PC space, not so much on the store side of it. *01:11:29* You know, the you can buy your games on the Microsoft store, but like Steam is dominant. *01:11:36* and the Epic Games is coming in and is stirring that pot there. *01:11:40* But they have this vertical integration to *01:11:45* impact so many IP and franchises. *01:11:51* Nadella's comment in like their press release announcement was *01:11:54* Quote, gaming is the most dynamic and exciting category in an entertainment across all platforms today and will play a key role in the development of metaverse platforms. *01:11:58* And so they clearly, this is a long play for them investing in kind of this next wave of *01:12:08* interacting online w is their idea and hope. *01:12:16* Yeah. *01:12:20* I mean it's like like I mean I'm of the belief that gaming was already doing the metaverse. *01:12:21* And so yeah, like for for a company like Microsoft, like if they I mean, I don't think that Microsoft's really going to like double down on doing like the like, oh, it's a *01:12:26* a metaverse metaverse kind of thing, but I think if if that's how you frame it to your investors, it looks better. *01:12:36* Or it's kinda you go to the case. *01:12:42* Sure, it's hot word right now. *01:12:43* It's you know, that's exciting. *01:12:45* You could call you could call Halo a metaverse. *01:12:47* like Halo Infinite, like because I'm I go on there and I hang out with my friends. *01:12:49* Like I know like Fortnite I think is like yeah the shining example where like I think what makes it a true metaverse, I know this is a tangent, is like *01:12:53* there's like a non-violent way where your avatars in the world can meet. *01:13:03* Like I do I that technically I think is like what qualifies it as a metaverse. *01:13:08* But I mean like Microsoft has multiple multiplayer games that do that. *01:13:11* Like if they wanted to they could make a Halo mode. *01:13:15* like that where your characters just kind of like walk around in the section. *01:13:18* Like you could say back for blood's hub is a metaverse because you can see each other there. *01:13:22* So like yeah. *01:13:26* Like I said, to me metaverse is like a nebulous term used to *01:13:27* mostly just court investors. *01:13:31* But uh yeah, it's just I think I but I think that's kind of speaking to the rising value of gaming where Microsoft sees like, oh *01:13:34* investors like metaverse, we already have all these metaverses right here. *01:13:42* We can acquire more by spending our budget uh on like on Activision. *01:13:46* So they basically just *01:13:51* double down on IP and then you're you're w when you own everything you're bound to get the next Fortnite eventually. *01:13:52* Eventually. *01:14:00* If you can if you just spend it all you'll eventually get something out of it. *01:14:01* Mm-hmm *01:14:04* Yeah, and yeah, I think this is the the endgame with the service is like it's uh I don't necessarily want to say it's like quality over quantity, but it's like when you have quantity, there's bound to eventually be something that hits. *01:14:05* on it. *01:14:17* And I think you've seen the hits like Halo Infinite's done like twenty million players. *01:14:18* I think they've said like Halo's been a huge hit and it's free to play and it has like a monetizable battle pass. *01:14:22* That's controversial, but I'm sure it's making buttloads of money. *01:14:28* Uh so Yeah, and when you have the most expensive game engine developed, you know, you want your money back. *01:14:31* Yeah, and once the steal is complete, like all that Call of Duty money *01:14:38* is going to go into Microsoft's bank. *01:14:42* All the Diablo and Overwatch money into Microsoft's bank. *01:14:44* All the Candy Crush money. *01:14:48* Yeah. *01:14:49* Oh yeah. *01:14:49* Oh yeah. *01:14:50* That's the thing. *01:14:50* Candy Crush is two billion a year. *01:14:51* Yeah, yeah. *01:14:53* So *01:14:53* Yeah, that that's the thing. *01:14:54* It's like, I mean, I it's it's gonna even if it doesn't pay back through Game Pass, like Microsoft is going to see that money somewhere. *01:14:55* So that that's what makes such like a that's why they're willing to go like, okay, let's empty out like a a lot of our money, because then they know like a bunch is gonna come back in. *01:15:04* And then the hope is that that's then sustained, so then you're making even more. *01:15:14* And then you have then the money coming in is from a source here, investors like. *01:15:18* So then investors will go like, oh, metaverse, NFTs. *01:15:23* Uh, and then you'll just be doing well. *01:15:26* Mm-hmm. *01:15:30* And it and it's a service, so it's not finite. *01:15:30* You know, Game Pass will never quote unquote be outdated hardware. *01:15:33* It will just move on to the next thing. *01:15:37* It's all being handled on a back end. *01:15:38* Instead of buying a console *01:15:41* every seven years you're but you're just paying for a subscription for seven years and they make way more money off of you that way than the one f you know four hundred, five hundred, three hundred dollar fee that you pay once every seven years. *01:15:43* And so it's *01:15:55* It's just keeping income coming in. *01:15:56* Yeah, oh yeah. *01:16:01* It's steady it's yeah, set steady stream of revenue versus like multiple quick hits. *01:16:02* And I I do think like and I mean people still like I think that's why the option won't go away, because like Microsoft doesn't mind if I go out and spend sixty bucks on Halo Infinite. *01:16:07* like because I wanted physically. *01:16:18* Like they're still making money when I do that. *01:16:20* They don't care if I play Psychonauts 2 on PS4. *01:16:23* Like they're still making money when I do that. *01:16:26* Like yeah, they're making a bit less than played natively through Game Pass, but like it's that's that's where Microsoft gets scary, is just because because they have their foot in so many pots. *01:16:29* where it's like their feet in so many pots where it's just kind of like it's gonna be a thing where like they don't really care where the money's coming from as long as it's coming from the source into to them. *01:16:38* So it's just kind of like cast as wide of a net as possible that's as attra as attractive to people as possible. *01:16:50* And then you're, like I said, you're bound to catch something. *01:16:56* Yeah, and I'm sure I'm sure they will catch something here within the next few years. *01:17:00* They're definitely *01:17:05* They've definitely got a lineup on the horizon that is just it's gonna be they will reach that goal of having, you know, games, big titles out on Game Pass every month, every quarter. *01:17:07* And so on. *01:17:19* Like it's just when you own this many studios and you're bringing in this many games and IP and all that stuff, you've *01:17:20* y you it makes it more enticing. *01:17:27* So it's just it's interesting to see. *01:17:29* Personally, I'm curious if I will *01:17:33* eventually become a like consistent subscriber. *01:17:36* I currently have Game Pass now because I did the whole like *01:17:40* Uh transition. *01:17:45* I had about three years of a transition from gold to ultimate because I thought, hey, Halo's coming out at launch of the Series X. *01:17:46* This will be great. *01:17:53* That didn't happen. *01:17:55* And so my Game Pass, I think, is up in August. *01:17:58* And I I plan to let that run out, uh, personally, because *01:18:02* I b Xbox is my Xbox exclusive console. *01:18:06* I don't I play my third party stuff on PlayStation and I just there's not really games on Game Pass that I *01:18:09* want to play, which I I know I'm very much in the minority on this, but I'm not in what's your favorite uh non-Sony or Nintendo franchise? *01:18:17* My f *01:18:28* At least the one on Xbox I would say Forza and that just came out and I used Game Pass to play like a few hours ago. *01:18:30* Exactly. *01:18:35* So yeah, when the next Forza comes out, like *01:18:36* They're hoping that even if it's just like, oh, I'm gonna get the one dollar deal, like you they hope they hope they get the dollar out of me, but it's or or you go out and pay them sixty bucks for the new Forza *01:18:38* Which is probably what I'd do. *01:18:50* If that game for you was like Final Fantasy, like then you go like, oh, Final Fantasy's on Game Pass. *01:18:51* Like let me go there. *01:18:57* So you know, well really what it what it'll be, Tomas, is uh the Indiana Jones game. *01:18:58* That's what it'll be. *01:19:03* Oh yeah, that's you'll see more IP like that. *01:19:05* Yes. *01:19:07* Yeah, like I said, it's I g uh gaming I don't think is as bad as film where it's like an IP matters, but like like because I do think there's enough indie games and new IP. *01:19:08* still happening in games, but like now you're gonna you're gonna see those Hollywood games on Game Pass where it's like like they did the there was like a Space Jam game on Game Pass last year that no one talked about. *01:19:17* I remember that. *01:19:28* Yeah. *01:19:29* Uh there was like um *01:19:30* And then yeah, like you you mentioned, uh there's stuff Indiana Jones, there's stuff that we're tied into IPs that then the the the big businesses and the suits. *01:19:32* at those businesses. *01:19:42* Like Disney's going going to look at that and be like, oh yeah, I want to put my Star Wars game on Game Pass. *01:19:43* Cause like that's the subscription service. *01:19:50* Just like people at first with Netflix were like, before they made their own, were like, oh yeah, it makes sense to put my movie on Netflix, because it'll like I'll make money from that. *01:19:53* So yeah, that that's that's that's where Microsoft wants to be. *01:20:03* It's like they're fine if you unsubscribe for a bit, but like what whenever you need to go back to daddy Microsoft to play Call of Duty, they'll be there. *01:20:06* And you're either going to pay for the side of the side. *01:20:15* They'll be there waiting, just hoping. *01:20:16* Or you're going to renew your subscription. *01:20:18* And then maybe just happen to play 50 games on their service, which looks good as data to their partners. *01:20:20* So. *01:20:27* Yep. *01:20:28* And it it in the end they win. *01:20:28* So it's welcome to Dystopia, everyone. *01:20:31* Yeah. *01:20:36* If you had told me back when I was graduating high school in the Xbox One *01:20:36* was launching that this is where they'd be today. *01:20:40* Uh uh I could not have uh I would not have believed it. *01:20:43* Which it it is an amazing turnaround. *01:20:47* It's a great *01:20:49* story, you know, just to see it from from Microsoft and from Phil and *01:20:51* It's an exciting time to see where the whole industry is going because what you know we talked about what will Sony do? *01:20:59* Will Nintendo just be out here in this island doing nothing, or will they let the Game Pass ship come and dock at Nintendo Island and and come and go as it pleases? *01:21:09* Who knows? *01:21:19* It's exciting to see. *01:21:20* This year is going to be big, uh, especially around the summertime with E3 or whatever they just summer game fest or what have you. *01:21:22* And every trailer is gonna say launching on Game Pass. *01:21:30* Day and date on Game Pass. *01:21:34* Yeah, you saw that last year. *01:21:36* Like last year I think it was literally like *01:21:37* Diablo 2 remastered and one other game were the only other games and and Battlefield were the only games not on Game Pass. *01:21:40* And now Diablo 2 will be on Game Pass. *01:21:48* Yes. *01:21:51* Yeah. *01:21:51* And EA and Battlefield 1942 will get added whenever it comes to EA play. *01:21:52* So like, yeah, that is the end goal. *01:21:57* We're like and *01:21:58* 2023 or I'll say 2024's E3. *01:22:00* Like they can fill that with IP from them, from uh, from Activision, from Bethesda, from partners. *01:22:04* uh in publishing and then just from like other random deals or indies. *01:22:12* Like so yeah they basically went to like from Xbox has no games. *01:22:16* to like, okay, we may not have the games like Sony has. *01:22:21* Like, I that that's the other thing. *01:22:26* It's like even with everything Microsoft's *01:22:27* go acquiring like a Sony game is still gonna be a Sony game when it comes out. *01:22:29* Like I'm sure when God of War Ragnarok comes out, it's going to be huge. *01:22:34* and all of that, and it's gonna be like amazing in ten out of tens and stuff. *01:22:40* Uh but it's like Microsoft doesn't need to put out two ten ten out of tens a year. *01:22:44* It needs to put out *01:22:51* ten eight out of tens that are cooperative games you play with your friends and then you increase revenue and subscriptions *01:22:52* Yeah, they they're they're definitely blazing their own trail, and it seems like a lot of people are gonna have to follow that trail. *01:23:00* It's not like we can go out here and do this. *01:23:07* We have to do what they're doing, and so *01:23:10* It's uh this generation is off to a very great start and an exciting one at that. *01:23:13* So I'm excited to see where it's going. *01:23:19* Thanks for joining me, Tomas. *01:23:22* Yeah, no problem. *01:23:24* It's uh it's great to be on you. *01:23:25* I haven't we haven't talked like this in a bit since like the color splash thing. *01:23:27* So anytime I'm open *01:23:30* I I just want to say again, congratulations on the new job over at Digital Trends. *01:23:33* Um you're crushing it, dude. *01:23:39* You're one of the the people I know out here who's actually doing *01:23:41* the job. *01:23:46* Like you've been at it here for you just tweeted the other day, was it six years? *01:23:47* You joined Twitter and that led to you being at Dual Shockers. *01:23:52* So yeah, it's not my six years is in May. *01:23:55* But yeah, just for a fun story to end on. *01:23:58* Uh yeah, I joined Twitter on a whim in January 2016 when I was in a junior in high school just because like there was some assignment we did in class. *01:24:00* that ha had funny answers and that dislike was like, oh I'll post these. *01:24:11* And then auto whim, I decided to follow dual shockers *01:24:15* who I just like had happened to find the year before when I was looking at gaming news. *01:24:19* And then I just happened to see them tweeting like, oh we need writers. *01:24:24* And then I was kind of persistent with that. *01:24:28* And so then I got hired and then I've been at it for five years. *01:24:30* So yeah, that was since like May May May 23rd, 2016, when I was still in high school. *01:24:33* was when I started uh writing about games. *01:24:39* Uh but yeah, so it's just it's just kind of a weird thing where it's like we're like, obviously that was supposed to happen because *01:24:41* It was where I ended up. *01:24:48* But it is just kind of funny to think like that's why I tweeted that was just kind of the thing. *01:24:49* Like tw Twitter, the Twitter anniversary notification popped up. *01:24:53* And I'm like, oh yeah, if I hadn't just like decided to do this, like *01:24:56* Who knows what I'd be. *01:25:00* Like, I do think I still would have ended up working in games somehow, because I think I did want to from an earlier age, but like joining Twitter then is kind of what like was able to set the path I would follow. *01:25:01* Yes, Twitter Twitter changes lives. *01:25:11* Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. *01:25:14* Yeah, yeah, no. *01:25:15* Just Twitter's role in my uh *01:25:20* Yes. *01:25:23* The little blue bird or white bird on a blue background. *01:25:24* Um it's very exciting. *01:25:28* Congratulations again and thank you for your your insight here for this Microsoft Activision Blizzard acquisition. *01:25:29* Uh I really appreciate it. *01:25:36* Why don't you uh tell the people where they can find you online and uh where to check you out? *01:25:38* Sure, yeah. *01:25:43* Uh so on *01:25:44* Twitter, I am just my name at Tomas Franzizi, T-O-M-A-S-F-R-A-N-Z-E-S-E. *01:25:46* Uh I it's mostly work-related stuff I'll post there usually. *01:25:53* uh sometimes just like opinions or takes on stuff like I've been tweeting about the NFL playoffs a bit but um you can follow me there and then also if you want to read my work *01:25:58* You can just type into a moss frames, easy dual shockers, or inverse. *01:26:09* You can find all my articles from those. *01:26:13* And then if you go on digital trends to the to the gaming sections. *01:26:15* And or just type in Tomas Digital Trends. *01:26:20* You can find that just my work. *01:26:22* Currently I'm at digital trends. *01:26:25* So yeah, go to digital trends if you want to read what I'm doing basically. *01:26:26* And then my Twitter for everything else. *01:26:30* So awesome. *01:26:33* If you want to find links to anything that we talked about, uh you can just check them out in the show notes, including Tomas' article about answering all your questions about this big acquisition. *01:26:34* So check out the show notes for that. *01:26:43* If you'd like, you can follow me on Twitter at Max Roberts143 and my writing over here at maxfrequency. *01:26:45* net. *01:26:51* If you want to hear more of Tomas, he actually joined us on chapter select. *01:26:52* which is a seasonal podcast that I do with Logan Moore. *01:26:55* We bounce back and forth between a series of games to explore their evolution, design, and legacy. *01:26:58* Tomas joined us in the season one all about paper Mario for Paper Mario Color Splash. *01:27:03* Tomas over here, he paid full sixty dollar price on the Wii U eShop in the year 2021, uh, which shows his level of commitment when he is called upon. *01:27:08* It's a good game. *01:27:21* I like the game. *01:27:22* It's good. *01:27:23* So you can go check out that episode if you want to hear more. *01:27:23* Uh Tomas and myself and Logan talking together. *01:27:26* But until next time, thank you all for listening. *01:27:29* I hope you enjoy and have a wonderful rest of your day. *01:27:31* Bye. *01:27:34* Well should I watch it real quick? *01:27:37* Uh if you want. *01:27:39* I'll watch it real quick. *01:27:40* You can listen to my reaction in real time. *01:27:41* It was one of those things like I was reading a book and in between chapters I like pulled up twit. *01:27:44* Oh my god. *01:27:49* Duh, that scared me. *01:27:51* Oh my gosh, it was so loud. *01:27:52* Oh my gosh I just brought a heart attack *01:27:57* You know when I was waiting I was playing Pokemon and my controller vibrated on the table and I wasn't expecting it, so I was like, what Oh my gosh, holy smokes *01:28:03* Alright, volumes down. *01:28:13* Alright. *01:28:16* I'll watch this now. *01:28:17* Good God *01:28:18*