This week, Niki, Lotus, and John address the sweeping, disastrous layoffs and closures stemming from the “reset” Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has started.
00:00:00 Intro & Cup Talk
00:11:40 Xbox layoffs by the numbers
00:14:55 Id Software decimated by the moves
00:18:52 Obsidian loses staff and shifts focus to Fallout (a previous report that Avowed 2 has been canceled has been refuted by the developer since this recording)
00:25:32 Zenimax loses over 350 employees
00:29:11 350 others are left without jobs from divested and sold studios
00:32:47 IOI closes Istanbul studio after Xbox divestment
00:41:18 Hardship fund created for laid off developers
00:47:35 Bethesda union holding protests at different cities July 15
00:55:00 Niki proposes an analogy to the US Men’s Soccer Team
01:02:08 Do average gamers know or care that this is all happening?
01:14:45 Niki has returned to NBA 2K26 and is having fun now
01:24:55 HIVE QUESTIONS
02:05:00 Outro & Interview Shows
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VGBees is a weekly games media podcast hosted by Niki, John, and Lotus.
