Good Morning. It's Monday, August 12. Today, we explore the reasons behind SAG-AFTRA's latest strike and its potential impact on video games in development, explaining why gamers should care about this pivotal issue. We also highlight Bloomberg Intelligence's report on India's subscription-based gaming market and analyze Take-Two Interactive's latest earnings, offering insights into the company's performance and future plans.
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Gaming’s Voice Crisis: AI Threatens Your Favorite Characters—Here’s Why You Should Care
What if Joel from The Last of Us and Commander Shepard from Mass Effect lost their iconic voices to artificial intelligence? The gaming world is facing a seismic shift as SAG-AFTRA, the union for 160,000 media professionals, takes a bold stand against the rise of AI in voice acting. This strike is poised to reshape the landscape of gaming, leaving the fate of beloved characters and the artistry behind them in the hands of gamers.
Voice actors, often the unsung heroes of the gaming world, are voicing their fears that studios might turn to AI-generated voices, sidelining the human talent and creativity that bring characters to life. The strike demands consent and fair compensation for AI usage, reflecting the victories of the 2023 writers' strike, which secured crucial protections for human creators in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
In Abhimannu’s latest feature, we explore the reasons behind SAG-AFTRA's strike and its significance for the gaming community. Delve into the untold impact of AI on the industry and understand the potential risks to your favorite characters. The battle for gaming's future has begun, and its outcome may very well depend on the voices of the players themselves.
India Poised to Lead Subscription-Based Gaming Market by 2033
India is on track to become the world's largest subscription-based gaming market by 2033, according to a new report from Bloomberg Intelligence. The report identifies India's swift 5G rollout, substantial Gen Alpha and Gen Z populations, and the increasing popularity of gaming careers as primary catalysts for this growth.
India's average revenue per user (ARPU) is projected to rise by 15% annually, exceeding the global average growth rate of 10%. Despite its relatively low ARPU, India's massive population could result in 56 million monthly active users within a decade, outstripping the U.S. and China, which are expected to have 14 million and 37 million users, respectively.
The report anticipates that global subscription-based gaming sales could expand by 28% annually from 2023 to 2033, reaching over $40 billion. This expansion is driven by major companies like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Sony venturing into emerging markets and Apple's adoption of game-streaming apps into its ecosystem.
While Indian gamers currently spend less on mobile apps compared to their Chinese counterparts, India's robust user engagement and growing willingness to pay suggest that monetization could reach parity with China in the coming decade. In 2023, Indians logged 1.19 trillion hours on mobile apps, the most globally, bolstering ad-based monetization models where users "pay" with their time by engaging with ads for free gameplay.
Our feature on subscription-based gaming delves into the industry's current challenges in India and the hurdles it must overcome to achieve mainstream success. Through surveys of various gamers, we explored the potential pitfalls that could impede the industry's growth, shedding light on the obstacles that need addressing to realize its full potential.
Quick Bytes
Take-Two's Financial Results Show Marginal Growth, Deeper Losses in Q1 FY 2025
Take-Two Interactive Software reported its financial results for the first fiscal quarter of 2025, ending June 30, highlighting marginal growth in bookings and revenue amid rising losses. The company posted a net revenue of $1.34 billion, a 4% year-over-year increase, while net loss widened to $262 million from $206 million in the previous year. Total net bookings rose by 1% to $1.22 billion. Despite the losses attributed to the ongoing amortization of intangibles from Zynga's acquisition, CEO Strauss Zelnick emphasized a promising outlook with plans to release 24 games over the next two fiscal years, including the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6. Digital sales remained strong, with 83% of revenue from recurrent consumer spending, driven by NBA 2K24, Grand Theft Auto Online, and others. Take-Two maintains its full-year bookings guidance of $5.55 to $5.65 billion, while anticipating stronger GAAP losses.
FIFAe Announces its First Multi-Title Esports Event
FIFAe, the esports division of FIFA, is set to host its first multi-title esports event in Liverpool, United Kingdom from August 28 to September 1. The event will feature Football Manager, and eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer. Hosted at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, the event includes the FIFAe World Cup featuring Football Manager, where 20 national representatives will compete for a share of a $100,000 prize pool. The event also introduces the FIFAe Fame Your Game Cup, a showcase for local players competing in eFootball Mobile. Notably, the event will not include the previously announced Rocket League competition.
Crunchyroll Surpasses 15 Million Subscribers
Crunchyroll announced today that it has surpassed 15 million monthly paying subscribers, marking a significant milestone following a month of anime events at Anime Expo and San Diego Comic-Con. This achievement coincides with the company's plans to evolve its brand, featuring a new logo, look, and sound. "Today marks an exciting milestone not only for Crunchyroll but for the entire anime industry," said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll. The platform now offers the world's largest dedicated anime streaming library, with 50,000 episodes and over 25,000 hours of anime series, music, and movies, reflecting the global surge in anime interest.
Apple Updates EU App Developer Terms Amid Criticism Over Fees
Apple has revised its app developer terms in the European Union to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, allowing developers to link to outside payment systems. However, the new terms introduce fees allowing Apple to take a percentage of each purchase. Developers under the new terms face a 5% acquisition fee and a 10% store services fee for sales made within 12 months of an app install. Existing developers face a 20% fee for adding external links, reduced to 7% for Small Business Program participants. Critics like Epic Games and Spotify argue the fees violate the Digital Markets Act.
Did You Know?
In Spain, some landlords have started using screenshots from The Sims 4 to advertise apartments on platforms like Idealista. A recent listing caught the public's eye after a Twitter user highlighted that it featured images from the popular life simulation game.
These images, snapped from a monitor using a phone, depicted a virtual apartment complete with standard white furniture such as a sofa, television, and fridge. The post quickly went viral, prompting jokes on Twitter, with users quipping about paying in Simoleons or encountering loading screens when exiting the apartment. Others were amused at the creativity, noting they used The Sims for room planning, while these landlords went a step further by virtually staging homes for sale. The listing was reported as misleading and has since been removed.
Quote of the Day
from AFK Gaming https://ift.tt/vrAU2Nh
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
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