Games Industry Executive Summary

This week on the Gies Podcast: Valve puts the Steam Machine at $1,049, Rockstar opens GTA 6 pre-orders at $79.99 (Ultimate at $99.99), and 2025 closes as a record $201.6B year for games even as layoffs continue. Hosted by Emmanuel Rosier, Casey Al-Kaisy, and David Thier.

Get the weekly Gies newsletter free at giesweekly.comMentioned: Valve, Steam Machine, Rockstar Games, GTA 6, EA, Bungie, PwC.#gaming #gamesindustry #podcast

Gies #96. Emmanuel, Casey and David break down the Xbox crisis (layoffs and the margin crush), Fortnite's Pokemon-style collectible sprites, Black Myth Wukong's China numbers, EA's move into in-game advertising, and why so many game names blur together.

Get the weekly GIES newsletter free at giesweekly.comMentioned: Xbox, Microsoft, Game Pass, Fortnite, Black Myth Wukong, EA, Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, Super Smash Bros Ultimate.

Emmanuel and David are joined by Patrick Rose (product strategy consultant, ex Bandai Namco) to break down the week in gaming: Valve's Steam Machine release window and expected price, Xbox's return to exclusives and the state of Gears of War and Halo, the Nintendo Direct with the Onimusha reboot and the Ocarina of Time remake tease, Bungie's premium brand problem with Marathon, and Taskbar Hero gaming Steam's CCU charts.
Get the weekly Gies newsletter free at giesweekly.comMentioned: Valve, Steam Machine, Steam Deck, Xbox, Game Pass, Gears of War, Halo, Nintendo, Switch 2, Onimusha, Pragmata, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Kingdom Hearts 4, Bungie, Marathon, Destiny, Taskbar Hero, Cyberpunk 2077

Emmanuel, Casey and David react to Sony's June 2026 State of Play and the week in gaming: the God of War Laufey reveal, Marvel's Wolverine gameplay, Until Dawn 2, the horror game Ill, and Marvel Tokon's roster. Plus GTA 6's release window and Take-Two's forecast, why 2026's big releases crowd into September, Mina the Hollower's launch, and reflections from Nordic Game 2026.00:00 Introduction and Anniversary Celebration04:11 GTA 6 Release Speculations13:04 Game Delays and Market Dynamics17:25 Sony's Focus on Single Player Games20:29 Marvel's Wolverine and God of War Footage25:50 God of War Laufey: New Direction and Characters30:49 Character Development and Storytelling34:25 Until Dawn 2 and Interactive Storytelling36:09 Ill: A New Horror Game Experience37:40 The Rise of Gory Content in Media38:05 The Intersection of Film and Gaming39:37 The Influence of Gaming on Hollywood40:16 The Evolution of Racing Games41:53 The Anticipation for Ace Combat 842:08 Marvel Tokon: A New Fighting Game44:25 The Legacy of Fighting Games45:04 Mina the Hollower: A Game to Watch46:25 The Value of Indie Games50:02 Reflections on Nordic Game 202654:10 The Future of Gaming DemographicsGet the weekly Gies newsletter free at giesweekly.comMentioned: GTA 6 (Rockstar, Take-Two), God of War Laufey (Santa Monica Studio), Marvel's Wolverine (Insomniac Games), Until Dawn 2 (Firesprite), Ill, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, Ace Combat 8, Control: Resonant (Remedy), Mina the Hollower (Yacht Club Games)#gaming #gamesindustry #podcast

Join Casey Al-Kaisy, Emmanuel Rosier, Martin Lindell and Stefan Lampinen as they dissect the state of the industry in 2026. The gang will cover platform shifts, audience behaviors, hardware evolution, and investment trends. Gain insights into the impact of UGC platforms, regional market differences, and the economics shaping the industry.

Follow us and learn more at giesweekly.com