Episode 192: PAX East Takes A MAGFest Turn (News Show)

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! You can support Virtual Economy’s growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! 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