PAX East isn’t the show it was 10 years ago. With most AAA developers staying away, indies take center stage. Also: Circana report for April 2025, GameStop sells off its Canadian holdings, Curve Games has a new owner, the SAG-AFTRA voice performer strike enters the endgame, and much more. We’ve also got a pair of great listener questions!

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TIME STAMPS

• [00:03:10] - Circana Report on U.S. Video Game Spending for April 2025
• [00:17:36] - PAX East Recap
• [00:52:48] - Investment Interlude
• [01:09:12] - Quick Hits
• [01:17:15] - Labor Report
• [01:34:37] - Listener Questions

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• Universal Distribution completes Alliance Game Distributors buyout from Diamond Comics after chaotic bankruptcy auction | BoardGameWire
• Curve Games Acquired by Nazara Technologies | Curve Games
• Apple acquires RAC7, its first-ever video game studio | Digital Trends
• NCsoft makes "strategic equity investment" in Empty Vessel | GamesIndustry
• Griffin Gaming Partners Leads €12M Series A in Amplitude Studios | Griffin Gaming Partners
• Sony PlayStation establishes new studio, teamLFG, to work on "an ambitious incubation project" | GamesIndustry
• Starbreeze acquires publishing rights to troubled Payday 3, says move will 'accelerate development roadmap' | Eurogamer
• Brightika expands to PC and console with $3m investment for indie devs | GamesIndustry

LABOR REPORT

• EA Cancels Black Panther Game, Closes Cliffhanger Games | IGN
• Microsoft announces plans to lay off thousands more workers | VGC
• Video Game Companies Release Final Offer to SAG-AFTRA Addressing AI Demands Amid 9-Month Strike (EXCLUSIVE) | Variety
• Video Game Companies Remove AI Provision on Unlimited Digital Replicas From ‘Best, Last and Final’ Offer to Actors Union (EXCLUSIVE) | Variety
• SAG-AFTRA's Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee Responds to Video Game Employers | SAG-AFTRA
• SAG-AFTRA Statement on Fortnite’s Use of A.I. Darth Vader Voice and ULP Filing | SAG-AFTRA
• THQ Nordic studio that was set to be closed in 2023 somehow escaped the Embracer death spiral and is now working on a new RPG | PC Gamer