Episode 59 - Basically institutionalized crunch

It's Friday and what a show we got for you today! Shams and Fernando are tearing into the harsh new realities of the games industry where Microsoft’s new leadership has brought out the big black hammer, as well as slowing down on Game Pass deals according to our latest findings. But that's just for todays starters. The main focus of this episode is the absolute juggernaut that is the Chinese gaming market. Yes, you spoke and we listened! Shams and Fernando break down how Chinese devs are taking over the premium PC and console space. Think you can just drop your game in China and print money? Good luck. We cover why bad localization will get you review-bombed to oblivion on Steam, the insane reality of the brutal 9-9-6 work culture, and why Chinese gamers couldn't care less if your game uses generative AI. Plus, we discuss why they love *Helldivers 2* and go over our top picks from Steam Next Fest. And Robert Redford. Of course. Strap in and thanks for listening!