Episode 126: Square Enix’s Shocking Western Sell-Off (News Show)

Square Enix bids farewell to its western CEO and studios, but Embracer is ready to hug ‘em tight. Also: Sony makes the new PS+ even more confusing, Activision shareholders sign-off on acquisition, and more. You can support Virtual Economy’s growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! TIME STAMPS [00:00:52] - Microsoft Q3 FY22 Earnings [00:10:58] - Sony Makes Life Harder for Devs and PlayStation Plus Subscribers [00:31:08] - Investment Interlude, Including Square Enix / Embracer Discussion [01:10:04] - Quick Hits [01:10:54] - Labor Report SOURCES Microsoft Cloud Strength Fuels Third Quarter Results | Microsoft Timed game trials are now a requirement for some PlayStation developers | GameDeveloper Introducing the all-new PlayStation Plus | PlayStation BioWare Contractors Supporting On Games Like Mass Effect Seek To Unionize | Kotaku Dragon Age 4 QA Devs Say They're Unionizing Over Bad Pay And Covid Safety | Kotaku Former Blizzard Versailles employees win appeal over redundancies that led to studio closure | GamesIndustry INVESTMENT INTERLUDE Execution of Share Transfer Agreement with Change to Subsidiaries | Square Enix EMBRACER GROUP ENTERS INTO AN AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE EIDOS, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, AND SQUARE ENIX MONTRÉAL AMONGST OTHER ASSETS | Embracer Group Canada’s largest independent video game studio, Behaviour Interactive, opens first studio in Toronto | GamesPress Activision Blizzard shareholders weigh Microsoft, "dubious windfall" | Axios Activision Blizzard Stockholders Approve Proposed Microsoft Transaction | Activision Blizzard