AI Games, New Studios, FTC Cracks Down, Xbox Game Pass Changes S5E26

In the latest episode of the M2 Podcast, we dive into a range of intriguing gaming industry updates. We discuss Volley's successful $55m Series C fundraising round and its rise as a leader in AI-powered games for smart TVs and Alexa devices. Next, we explore the formation of Pithead Studio by former Piranha Bytes developers Björn and Jennifer Pankratz, and the new joint venture Palworld Entertainment, created by Sony Music, Aniplex, and Pocketpair. We also cover the FTC's investigation into PC manufacturers ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac for illegal warranty practices. Lastly, we analyze Microsoft's controversial decision to exclude day one releases from the standard Xbox Game Pass tier while simultaneously increasing subscription prices.

0:00 Intro

0:47 Updates

16:21 Voice-controlled game developer closes Fundraising https://tinyurl.com/bdhhbtyn 

24:07 Piranha Bytes devs form Pithead Studio https://tinyurl.com/4jrwymsy 

36:16 Sony, Aniplex, and Pocketpair form Palworld Entertainment https://tinyurl.com/4c2ub6p9 

44:27 The FTC is investigating PC manufacturers https://tinyurl.com/y5bk2a9m 

53:42 Xbox Game Pass Microsoft Hikes Prices Again https://tinyurl.com/3hrmkt5u 

1:11:25 Outro

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