WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.399 --> 00:00:01.879 Don't be bad. 2 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:15.199 Hey everybody, welcome to Game Mess Mornings with Me Jeff Grubb, 3 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:17.480 your host from giant bomb dot com. Thank you for 4 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:19.879 tuning in. In this episode, we're gonna be talking about 5 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:24.519 the questionable future of the Xbox Handheld and people aren't 6 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:26.719 loving one of the biggest releases of the year. It's 7 00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:28.879 gonna be a good one because we have Jason Finelli 8 00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:32.560 on the show. Jason, how are you doing? I feel great. 9 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:35.759 It's it's Summer Games Fast Week and we're all running 10 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:37.799 around like chickens with our heads cut off, trying to 11 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:40.280 figure out all of the video game things. 12 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:42.320 Now quite a few things. 13 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:45.159 Yes, Yes, shout out to video game things. One's up 14 00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:49.880 in the chat for video game things. I love being 15 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:51.719 this busy. I love this time of year. I live 16 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:54.840 for it. I love the adrenaline of, you know, finding 17 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:57.159 out new games and and going and hanging out in 18 00:00:57.200 --> 00:00:59.840 Los Angeles. I fly out Thursday night very excited for that. 19 00:01:01.479 --> 00:01:03.479 It's it's gonna be a good one. I just feel 20 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:05.040 it in my bones. I know people have been like 21 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:07.439 not really expecting much from some rest, so I don't 22 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:10.799 know what to think. I just feel we're gonna we're 23 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:11.959 gonna have a good time. It's gonna click. 24 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:13.959 Okay, I'm starting to get there now. 25 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:16.840 Yeah, it's it definitely feels like, you know, starting to 26 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:19.079 make appointments and it's like, okay that some people are 27 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:22.000 showing up, maybe things will be a little bit better 28 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:22.760 than I was thinking. 29 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:26.400 Are you as your flying out Thursday? Yes? Do you 30 00:01:26.439 --> 00:01:28.599 think this? You think do you have a switch to preorder? 31 00:01:29.079 --> 00:01:32.120 I am midnighting switch to the name you got all 32 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.480 figured out. Oh yeah, I'm going to midnight it on 33 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:37.920 Wednesday night into Thursday. I'll have it all set up. 34 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:42.280 My flight's about five six o'clock at night, six o'clock 35 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:44.159 in the afternoon. I'll I'll land in l A about 36 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:47.120 ten ten p m. L A time. I will not 37 00:01:47.159 --> 00:01:50.040 go to bed because who does that? And uh yeah, 38 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:51.640 well we'll make it happen. Figure it out. 39 00:01:52.200 --> 00:01:52.760 Fantastic. 40 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:57.200 I I've been like looking, I booked my flight right 41 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:01.400 as soon as I separated from my previous company, and 42 00:02:01.560 --> 00:02:03.959 I was like, I'm just gonna go on my own whatever, 43 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:06.359 and then everything else happened, and so like I booked 44 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:08.240 my flight without really even looking at it might have 45 00:02:08.280 --> 00:02:14.280 been a little emotional, and I'm flying out Tuesday, like wait, yeah, yeah, 46 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:15.960 I'm like, oh, I'll figure it out. 47 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:18.199 I remember you saying on one of your other you're 48 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:20.159 independent now, so I can mention this. Oh. By the way, 49 00:02:20.360 --> 00:02:22.719 by the way, this is the first time. This is 50 00:02:22.759 --> 00:02:25.439 the first time I have been here since your declaration 51 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:28.879 of independence, your fourth of July moment at Pax East. Hollay. 52 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:32.319 Fucking shit, it is awesome. Thank you, right bigure out 53 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:35.879 of applause for the Giant Bomb fellas. I am proud 54 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:38.639 to be support this thing as far as it will go. 55 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:42.560 And everybody watching this go to giant bomb dot com 56 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:46.879 slash join right now and join this goddamn website because 57 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:49.439 these are good dudes trying to do good things and 58 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:51.759 it's just great. It's great. So thank you, Bob. 59 00:02:51.879 --> 00:02:52.639 We're excited. 60 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:56.520 Yeah, but uh but anyway, I completely lost my train 61 00:02:56.599 --> 00:02:58.000 of thought in that exuberance. 62 00:02:58.039 --> 00:02:59.840 So what was you were gonna say something? 63 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:02.240 I can You're independent now, so I could say this 64 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:03.639 if that doesn't write well. 65 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:07.319 On one of your other on one of your other podcasts, 66 00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:10.400 I think it was then ten Dogs, you had mentioned 67 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:13.680 that you might be in flux a little bit. So 68 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:16.280 if you need a place to throw you shit start 69 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:19.080 Thursday night. You say the word I got you Thursday night. 70 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:20.919 We'll have our place, but I appreciate that. 71 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:23.800 So yeah, and I actually got the where I'm staying 72 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:26.080 figured out, got some family situation going on, so it's 73 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:28.159 gonna be good. It's gonna be all good. Looking forward 74 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:30.520 to it. Actually, it'll be nice to you know. I'll 75 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:32.639 get some work done as well. We'll maybe try to 76 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:34.599 meet up with some people who are in the area, 77 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:36.400 maybe meet up with some devs that are in la 78 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:39.840 oh shit ye, so yeah, get some stuff done. All right, 79 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:43.240 let's explain ourselves. This is Giant Bomb. You can go 80 00:03:43.240 --> 00:03:45.599 to giant bomb dot com slash join and support what 81 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:48.719 we do here, including this show, support us going out 82 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:51.240 to stuff stuff like Summer Game Fest and putting on 83 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:54.240 night shows like gb at Night Live. 84 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:55.560 Really looking forward to that. 85 00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:58.759 That's gonna be happening Friday and Saturday night of SGF weekend. 86 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:01.639 That's June sixth and June seventh, And we could really 87 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:04.960 only do that because of your support, So that has 88 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:07.680 been awesome to be able to enable that right away. 89 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:10.479 As soon as we went independent, you will unlock that 90 00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:13.400 capability through your support, So thank you to everyone. Who's 91 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:16.040 gone to giant bomb dot com slash join. We appreciate it, 92 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:18.519 gets you add free podcast, gets you some other goodies. 93 00:04:18.920 --> 00:04:20.360 I've got some fun ideas. 94 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:24.000 I'm working on it to like just surprise people with 95 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:26.079 on the staff, like hey, come come into this room 96 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:27.680 and then we're gonna record a video and then I'm 97 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:29.560 gonna put that out as a premium thing, I think 98 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:32.600 at least live first. So yeah, it's gonna be a 99 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:34.920 good time. Go to giant bomb dot com slash join 100 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:35.879 and help us out. 101 00:04:36.360 --> 00:04:38.399 Are we talking like a are we talking like gifts 102 00:04:38.519 --> 00:04:40.360 or something? Or are you gonna tell Are you gonna 103 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:42.160 tell Dan to committing room and slap them in the nuts? 104 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:42.560 Yeah? 105 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:45.079 But pretty much. Yeah, it's the equivalent of that. It's 106 00:04:45.319 --> 00:04:47.839 like I'm just gonna get the Parsec PC and I'm 107 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:49.279 just gonna be like, all right, now you have to 108 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:51.480 play this and it's gonna be you know, maybe not 109 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:53.800 a Blake club game, but it could be atrocious in 110 00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:57.720 other ways. So as far as this show goes, most weekdays, 111 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:00.480 I Jeff Grubb will help piece your gaming life back together. 112 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:03.040 That includes breaking news and maybe even some of our 113 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:05.040 own original reporting for. 114 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:05.639 All these topics. 115 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:07.519 I'll get the input of a bona fide expert who 116 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:10.439 will make me look smart. You are watching live on 117 00:05:10.759 --> 00:05:13.160 twitch Welcome. You can always listen to the show later 118 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:15.839 on podcast feeds by searching for Game Mess Mornings, or 119 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:19.680 find the RSS on gimebomb dot com. You can also 120 00:05:19.720 --> 00:05:24.720 catch the show later on YouTube. Hello YouTube. All right, 121 00:05:24.759 --> 00:05:26.480 we have a lot to get into, so let's start 122 00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:32.279 the morning mess with. Microsoft reportedly pauses development on Xbox handheld. 123 00:05:32.279 --> 00:05:36.240 This is from Blair Marnell at GameSpot. Last year, a 124 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:38.879 story broke that Microsoft was working on prototypes for an 125 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:43.680 Xbox handheld console that could potentially compete with Valve's Steam Deck. However, 126 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:46.319 a new report suggests that Microsoft is putting aside its 127 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:50.680 ambitions for a dedicated dedicated Xbox handheld, at least for now. 128 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:54.199 According to Windows Central, Microsoft is shifting its priority away 129 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:57.199 from its Xbox handheld to focus on improving the gaming 130 00:05:57.240 --> 00:06:01.399 performance of Windows eleven on third party handheld devices, including 131 00:06:01.480 --> 00:06:05.879 Asus's Project Kennon I think It's Kenon. The report notes 132 00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:08.759 that Microsoft still has ambitions of releasing its own handheld, 133 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:12.439 and it's developing additional technologies towards that goal for the 134 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:17.519 immediate future, that's not the priority. Excuse me, Jason, We've 135 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:21.040 heard these rumors for a long time. I think that 136 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:24.160 as I hear this to me, it actually makes a 137 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:28.480 lot of sense because Microsoft is the Windows company, and 138 00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:32.519 in the last couple of weeks I've been paying attention 139 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:34.600 to this. This is probably not something that's like getting out 140 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:36.879 there to most people. It's just I'm a steam Deck freak. 141 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:41.600 Steam Os has been updated so that you could kind 142 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:44.519 of put it on other devices, and the first third 143 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:50.759 party handheld, the Lenovo Legion go s, launched with steam 144 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:54.879 Os instead of Windows and by all, and this is 145 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:57.240 the same device that did launch with Windows, you know, 146 00:06:57.319 --> 00:06:59.079 a couple of years back. It's got all the same 147 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:01.519 components for the most part, it just has steam Os now, 148 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:05.040 and the side by side comparisons are really rough. 149 00:07:05.160 --> 00:07:07.360 For Windows. It looks pretty bad. 150 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:10.439 Like obviously, there's the stuff I complained about, which is 151 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:14.920 I think Windows on a touchscreen controller device is miserable. 152 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:18.800 Trying to update the correct drivers in three different apps 153 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:20.879 when it's time to update things because it's not all 154 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:25.360 centralized because it's Windows, is a pain. And then you know, 155 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:27.439 when you want to type in a password field and 156 00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:29.199 you click on it and it just doesn't work right 157 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:31.480 because Windows, it's like, wait, where's the keyboard? What's going 158 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:33.759 on here? That's happened to be plenty of times that 159 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:34.439 stuff's annoying. 160 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:36.040 They need to fix that. They're working on that. 161 00:07:36.600 --> 00:07:39.319 The bigger problem might be, like the performance of these 162 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:42.279 games are it's just better on Steam Os, which is 163 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:46.480 wild considering that it's like there's a proton layer translating a. 164 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:49.040 Lot of games. Battery life way better. 165 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:52.759 And so you know what Microsoft needs to do is 166 00:07:53.240 --> 00:07:55.839 figure out Windows first, because if that's going to be 167 00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:59.279 their strategy of let's make everything a Windows PC, including 168 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:03.920 our Xbox, the Xbox Handheld, that operating system needs to 169 00:08:03.959 --> 00:08:06.839 be more scalable for devices like this, and it's pretty 170 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:09.279 far away from that right now. So this makes sense 171 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:10.959 because this is a big problem they need to solve 172 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:13.839 because if this space takes off like as much as 173 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:15.879 it has been, if it continues to growing the way 174 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:19.399 it has been, a few million consoles per year or 175 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:21.439 a few million of these handel PCs per year, and 176 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:24.839 then it like against the grow, Microsoft could miss out 177 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:27.399 on a big new opportunity and it doesn't want to 178 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:27.639 do that. 179 00:08:27.879 --> 00:08:29.600 So does this all sound right to you. 180 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:32.519 Yes, they could miss out on miss miss out on 181 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:35.879 a huge opportunity again, seems to be their mo Hello, 182 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:40.720 Windows Phone, Hello Zoom. It makes perfect sense to me 183 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:44.240 that they would need to get Windows, some sort of 184 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:50.240 Windows proprietary Windows systems, specifically for these handheld PCs, because 185 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:54.960 translating Windows eleven to the original Lenovo Legion Go which 186 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:57.440 I have, is a mess. The keyboard is a mess. 187 00:08:57.480 --> 00:08:59.320 It doesn't come up when you need it to. The 188 00:08:59.399 --> 00:09:02.639 touchscreen works when it wants to work, doesn't work when 189 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:05.440 it doesn't. It forgets that you have the handheld on 190 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:07.879 sometimes and then you have to attach it again, and 191 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:10.799 then Windows doesn't read it doesn't recognize it as a controller. 192 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:14.799 It's they cannot. They cannot if they want everything to 193 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:19.600 be an Xbox, they cannot fall behind again. Yeah, they 194 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:21.960 have to figure this out. If Kennon had come out 195 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:24.440 or Keenan, keen it in kel whatever it's called, if 196 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:30.080 it had come out and was you know, inferior to 197 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:33.559 the Legion Goes, the rog Allies and the Steam Deck particular, 198 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:35.559 it will be left from the dust. It would be 199 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.840 the Windows Phone in the Zoom all over again. And 200 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:40.279 I don't think with this particular technology they can afford 201 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:42.679 that because they're supposed to be the PC gaming company 202 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:45.879 for reputation's sake, they can't afford it, let alone the 203 00:09:45.879 --> 00:09:51.799 actual technology. So yes, this tracks. This makes sense. It 204 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:54.360 is beneficial to them that we have not actually seen 205 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:56.600 this thing yet, and it's been all rumors. They didn't. 206 00:09:56.679 --> 00:09:58.679 They didn't pull on multiverses and put it out and 207 00:09:58.679 --> 00:10:01.519 then take it away again. That works for in their favor, 208 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:03.840 so we don't have anything to we won't have anything 209 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:08.000 to compare it to when it actually does launch, right, Yeah, 210 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:11.759 I mean it. It seems like a sound strategy for them, 211 00:10:11.799 --> 00:10:14.480 whether or not it pays off, if the delay in 212 00:10:14.519 --> 00:10:16.159 when they wanted it to come out versus when it 213 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:19.240 actually does come out is beneficial. Once they figure this 214 00:10:19.240 --> 00:10:21.159 stuff out, who knows, they could have already missed the 215 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:24.279 boat and just don't know it yet. But you know, 216 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:26.159 for their sake, I hope they figure it out, because 217 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:30.759 this a first party even though they're partnering with Asis, 218 00:10:30.919 --> 00:10:35.519 a first party Windows PC gaming handheld makes sense. It 219 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:37.240 makes sense in the space, and the fact that it 220 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:39.120 doesn't exist yet is a little weird. 221 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:43.799 Yeah, they do seem motivated so I think they recognize 222 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:46.919 that this is an opportunity that they did that they 223 00:10:46.919 --> 00:10:49.919 don't want to miss out on, and so I think 224 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:52.000 they're taking it seriously, which gives me the hope that 225 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:56.480 when this project kenen ASU's Handheld comes out, which is 226 00:10:56.519 --> 00:10:58.080 you know, mostly still going to be a third party 227 00:10:58.120 --> 00:11:01.600 hardware with a lot of micros off love on it, 228 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:04.279 I think there's a chance that they do solve most 229 00:11:04.279 --> 00:11:05.120 of these issues. 230 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:06.080 The battery. 231 00:11:06.759 --> 00:11:10.840 The actual performance, maybe that's more questionable because Windows has 232 00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:12.559 been this kind of thing where they've tried to make 233 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:16.000 it more scalable in the past, and sometimes that looks 234 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:20.799 like a Windows for arm you know, the mobile chips 235 00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:23.600 or whatever they've tried that that that's not what this is, 236 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:26.600 or at least wouldn't be yet. And then sometimes it 237 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:29.799 looks like Windows you know eight, which had all the 238 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:30.799 you know, the idea of. 239 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:32.519 Like, hey, this can also run on your tablets. 240 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:36.399 For as much as they've made that like okay, here 241 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:39.840 is a good UI or an acceptable UI for a 242 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:42.600 touchscreen interface, that even when they were trying that, they 243 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:44.960 didn't necessarily figure out all the the you know, lower 244 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:47.720 performance or you could put this into a laptop that 245 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:49.320 doesn't need a fan or whatever. 246 00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:51.480 No way, that's that's not how it was working. 247 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:55.120 So I'm still pretty skeptical that they're going to figure 248 00:11:55.159 --> 00:11:58.320 that out until we see it. But I think the 249 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:00.960 very least this story mixes sound like they know that 250 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:03.639 is something they must be concerned with, and hopefully they 251 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:04.679 have people working on it. 252 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:05.240 We'll see. 253 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:08.559 I want I think I want a handheld space that, 254 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:11.480 especially on the PC side, that does have both steam 255 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:14.120 Os and Windows kind of competing with one another. I 256 00:12:14.120 --> 00:12:17.559 think that would be good for the improvement of features. 257 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:20.399 I think Steam I think the reason Valve has been 258 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:23.279 moving so fast, other than it's had success is it 259 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:25.639 does see a chance to kind of dominate, and I 260 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:28.159 think kind of Windows keeping it honest there would really help. 261 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:32.679 YEP all right up next, morale at Star Wars, Jedi 262 00:12:32.759 --> 00:12:36.240 and Titanful developer Respawn is at an all time low. 263 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:39.879 This is from Alex Hopley, a game reactor. EA has 264 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:42.440 made headlines a few times this year with job cutting. 265 00:12:42.519 --> 00:12:45.120 Most recently, it canceled its Black Panther game and shut 266 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:49.279 down the developer making it making it over at Cliffhanger Studios. 267 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:51.799 Also earlier in the year, around one hundred people were 268 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:54.480 let go from Apex, Legends, Titanfull and Star Wars Jedi 269 00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:58.720 developers to Respawn. According to senior encounter designer at Respawn, 270 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:03.080 Patrick Wrenn, this has understandably led to an adverse effect 271 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:06.639 on people still at the company. Morale has been at 272 00:13:06.679 --> 00:13:08.480 an all time low, he said in a post on 273 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:11.840 Blue Sky. I can say that much as the twenty 274 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:13.919 twenty three and twenty twenty four trend of jobs being 275 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:17.080 lost in the industry continues in twenty twenty five, it's 276 00:13:17.080 --> 00:13:20.240 difficult to imagine that morale is very good at any 277 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:23.279 major publisher right now, or that it will even approve 278 00:13:23.559 --> 00:13:29.759 at EA. This yeah, I mean boy, everyone at EA 279 00:13:29.799 --> 00:13:33.000 has got to be feeling like pretty shell shocked right now, 280 00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:37.759 after massive cut after massive cut, and a big game 281 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:41.480 like Black Panther getting canned, several games you know, over 282 00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:43.519 the years getting canceled at Respawn, but then a bunch 283 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:46.399 of layoffs happening at Respawn recently, and that. 284 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:49.840 Was on top of Mammoth layoffs last year. 285 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:52.799 It's just been kind of cut after cut to the 286 00:13:52.840 --> 00:13:54.919 point where it's like, Okay, well, what does the future 287 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:57.399 look like? And then when EA says what the future 288 00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:59.919 looks like. It's like it is focusing on a handful 289 00:13:59.960 --> 00:14:02.919 of games that have already had proven success and then 290 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:07.600 skate and so it's it's what they said, Evince. 291 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:11.759 So we'll see how that goes for them. 292 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:13.960 But if you are working at EA and you're looking 293 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:15.960 around and be like, Okay, well we're still working on 294 00:14:17.080 --> 00:14:20.919 Star Wars Jedi three dare you gonna mention that? And 295 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:22.600 it's like, well, in this latest round of laoffs, when 296 00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:24.080 they talked about the games that they're focused on for 297 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:26.200 the future, they didn't mention that. The only thing they 298 00:14:26.200 --> 00:14:28.639 mentioned was Apex Legends, a game that feels like it 299 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:32.120 has been rung dry. So if you're working at Respawning, like, 300 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:35.360 you know, we've done everything we can think of. And 301 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:38.919 many of the people who made respawn respawn early on 302 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:42.559 have left because their stocks have vested and they are 303 00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:43.840 starting their own studios. 304 00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:46.159 So I think that this is a. 305 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:50.519 Situation where it's got to feel gloom gloomy, and the 306 00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:52.799 chances of you feel like you're you're able to turn 307 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:54.919 it around in such a big and such a big company, 308 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:58.080 it has to feel impossible at a certain point, right. 309 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:01.240 It can't be good walking in your office every day 310 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:03.799 and feeling this sort of damicle is hanging over your head, 311 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:05.879 not knowing when that's actually going to drop, and you're 312 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:09.360 not going to have a job anymore. I feel for 313 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:13.559 these people, I really do. I cannot imagine, especially in 314 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:15.559 a business or in an industry we're supposed to be 315 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:18.639 making things that are fun and people enjoy, right to 316 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:21.960 have to go in every day with that, with that 317 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:26.720 lack of assurance, with that fear that the next email 318 00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:29.279 you get could be the one that sends you packing, 319 00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:34.720 is harrowing. It's not something I envy, It's something I 320 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:38.879 very much empathize with. Like I was laid off in 321 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:42.320 twenty fourteen from a unrelated to the gaming industry, that 322 00:15:42.759 --> 00:15:47.600 the job that I had at the time, and if 323 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:55.039 I still remember waking up and being directionless, for christ, 324 00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:57.639 it was months before I finally got back into a 325 00:15:57.639 --> 00:16:03.320 steady job. So to know that that might be in 326 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:06.639 your immediate future, and then not knowing what that immediate 327 00:16:06.679 --> 00:16:08.919 future looks like. Is it three months, is it one month, 328 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:13.519 is it tomorrow? It's it's rough, and it's it's even 329 00:16:13.559 --> 00:16:18.039 weirder to say this about Respawn, who you mentioned those 330 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:22.360 franchises that they want to focus on Respawns, like half 331 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:26.440 of them they are APEX and they are Star Wars, 332 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:29.720 just Star Wars. It's so so to have them morale 333 00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:34.519 being an all time low there, what's it like at 334 00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:37.200 I was going to say, uh, Code Masters, but that 335 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:40.159 I think we're talking about that next or whatever. The 336 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:43.600 racing studio is like I I, oh, yeah, so I 337 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:46.440 just it sucks. I mean, there's no other way to 338 00:16:46.440 --> 00:16:48.799 put it. I try. I'm trying to, you know, find 339 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:50.519 a way to get a smile out of people with 340 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.360 the chat at How how do you do that in 341 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:56.080 a story like this. It's it's it's it's harrowing, it's 342 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:59.639 it's it's not it's not a situation they deserve for 343 00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:02.080 the quot allity of stuff they've been putting out and 344 00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:05.160 like you, like you said, it's got to feel helpless. 345 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:09.680 Yep, yeah, I think you know at Respawn, which is 346 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:12.599 you know where this where Patrick Wrinn works and is 347 00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:15.400 saying the morales especially bad. It's it's got to be 348 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:18.160 a certain point. They have tried so many new ideas 349 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:20.720 and had so many projects that were really promising, things 350 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:22.759 that you know I heard about like titan Fall Legends 351 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:24.599 that looked that sounded really awesome. 352 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:25.279 It was going. 353 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:29.160 To take inspiration from Hades and but still be titan Fall. 354 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:30.680 And they're like, hey, the one problem we had with 355 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:33.079 titan Fall two is we would watch people play and 356 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:34.559 some would still play it like Call of Duty and 357 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:36.559 they wouldn't even like do the wall run or the 358 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:38.440 double jump and stuff like that. We want to really 359 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:40.319 kind of encourage them to do that. And they had 360 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:43.119 all these great ideas to do that, and it's then 361 00:17:44.440 --> 00:17:46.319 changed its mind. At first, it's like, this is a 362 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:48.519 good way to get people back into Apex Legends. We're 363 00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:50.519 going to kind of bring it into that umbrella. And 364 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:53.000 they're like, well, now Apex Legends is actually dead and 365 00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:55.119 we're going to let it have a graceful sort of 366 00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:57.559 dropping off period. We're not going to reinvest in it 367 00:17:57.599 --> 00:17:59.799 too much. And then they changed their mind again. It's like, well, 368 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:01.400 you're not going to do anything else because we're going 369 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:03.920 to go back and reinvest in Apex Legends. And they've 370 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:06.480 gotta be like, what the hell we were making stuff 371 00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:08.039 that was that would have made sense if this is 372 00:18:08.039 --> 00:18:09.759 what you wanted, if you want us to keep growing, 373 00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:12.359 And so the whiplash, the back and forth has got 374 00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:15.400 to be very frustrating. And then and then, as you said, 375 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:18.319 as you listed all of the uncertainties. 376 00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:19.960 Really have to just kill morale. 377 00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:23.200 So I'm hopeful that that, you know, the people that 378 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:26.039 are still respond can do good work. I don't have 379 00:18:26.119 --> 00:18:29.200 much faith in EA overall in this moment. 380 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:31.839 Which sucks because they handle some of the biggest properties 381 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:35.920 in the world. Like and if you're the NFL right now, 382 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:38.519 you have to have at least I mean you're and 383 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:42.319 you're one of the most sure things every single year 384 00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:45.400 in the industry. You have to have like just one 385 00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:48.279 eye on what the hell is going on outside of 386 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:52.519 EA sports. It's got to be scary. So yeah, and 387 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:57.240 people like to I've heard people say why is the 388 00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:59.799 industry so secretive? Why why do they only why is 389 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:01.519 it so controlled? I think it's because I think at 390 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:03.920 least there's an element to it that if we heard 391 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:05.680 about the games that were in development and all the 392 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:09.440 awesome ideas that were in them and then they get canceled, 393 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:14.119 people would lose their minds. I imagine this probably happens 394 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:17.960 more often than we are privy too. But like when 395 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:20.079 you say you're making a Black Panther game and then 396 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:23.359 just say, oh no, never mind, sorry we lied, And 397 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:26.359 now like does iron Man come out? Like do you 398 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:28.000 get iron Man now? Or is that? 399 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:28.400 Who knows? 400 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:31.680 Like it's and there's apparently like there was like a 401 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.720