It’s 7:30 on Tuesday evening, I’ve been in meetings and classes all day, and all I want to do is figure out how to get into this shrine in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. But I’ve half-assed too many PT headers in the past few months, so I’m going to try to at least 2/3-ass this one for the four of you who read these things.
But it does make me think about the intersection of video games and politics, so I thought I’d point out some of the biggest issues and concerns at play today.
Unionizing has been a hot topic in the video game world, with several small-scale efforts looking to make larger changes. Back in March, video game-centric website Polygon reported on the latest efforts for unionization of game developers. Video game development is challenging, and it’s common for developers to “crunch” – spending long, long hours and weekends working hard to get a game ready by its delay. Crunch has existed in the industry since it started, but as game development sprawls and becomes a more massive undertaking with huge teams and long development times, it’s become even more pronounced. Unionization is a path to reducing crunch in the games industry, and hopefully will lead to improvements. For more on the intersection of crunch and labor laws, check out this article from the Washington Post from 2021.
Another major topic sitting at the intersection of politics and video games is Microsoft’s attempts to acquire the publisher Activision Blizzard. Microsoft has been on a buying spree lately, acquiring many publishers and developers. This, in turn, has led to more games being made available exclusively for Microsoft platforms (Windows and their Xbox console). Activision Blizzard is one of the biggest publishers around, with the developers behind major franchises such as Call of Duty and Warcraft, and an acquisition of that scale could change the gaming landscape by providing Microsoft’s chief competitor Sony of key video games. The acquisition attempt sits in an uncertain limbo after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority blocked it. However, the European Union approved it, and the US ruling has yet to come out. It’s uncertain what the final result will be. Just this week, Eurogamer reported on MPs from the UK questioning the CMA about its decision. Will that cause them to back down? We’ll see.
Video games are huge market, and these are just a few of the topics that deserve reporting. However, the landscape for games journalism is sparse and spotty. Weeks ago, prior to its own bankruptcy, Vice shutdown Waypoint, its website focused on video games, and laid off all its staff. Washington Post has also shuttered its gaming-focused Launcher division. And much like its G/O Media sister site the AV Club, Kotaku has seen a departure of talented staff in the wake of Jim Spanfeller’s tenure.
Curious about what else is happening in the world of video games? Check out Lovely Lily Bones’ monthly Game News Roundup.
Otherwise, you know the drill. Be kind and thoughtful today. Cheers.