Gaming is literally everywhere these days, but the industry is still troubled
Happy Friday. Expect a more curated newsletter today and a substantial update later in March.
Instead of diving into one story deeply this week, I’d like to highlight a few rapid-fire bullet points.
In social issues:
Marvel Rivals sent the internet panicking last week at the unusual decision to lay off six North American employees despite the game reaching more than 20 million players. Some speculate it’s due to the rising tensions between the U.S. and China under the new administration, and developer Netease preferring to focus on operations in China.
This week, Activision employees held a rally to protest what they call the unjust termination of a union activist and former Activision employee, Allen Junge, who was fired on December 9. He was fired after posting a Slack message about firearm training, but the union is claiming the termination is retaliation against Junge’s past activism, and says in a statement, “The irony of the company that publishes the world's biggest war video game terminating an employee for discussing second amendment rights and safety is not lost on Allen's co-workers.”
In unexpected team-ups:
Make-up artist Pat McGrath did a collab with none other than King’s Candy Crush, and I interviewed her for Inverse about this growing intersection we’re seeing between beauty and gaming. No more stereotypes of gamers in their mothers’ basements, please.
Earlier in the month, I attended an Adidas x Fortnite event, emphasis on the Adidas Fashion Week portion of it all. I played Fortnite with Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill, who carried me to first place and also broke down which games he prefers to play (Fortnite definitely and Apex). Later that same week, I turned on Netflix’s W.A.G.s to Riches reality show, and saw Hill on there as well. Small world.
Ardent supporters of Luigi Mangione, the individual charged with the United Healthcare CEO assassination, have taken to wearing green, sometimes even the green hat of Luigi, the Super Mario Bros. character. (The case has even been documented in an HBO film, which notes the public’s frustration with the insurance industry yet adds that killing a CEO does nothing to solve the healthcare crisis.) It’s truly an example of how video game symbols are making it far beyond their source material and original creators’ intents.
Additionally…
It might be of interest to note for my readers who have followed me from The Washington Post that I still keep up to date with news about my old outlet.
Jeff Bezos this week publicly sent out a memo to The Post’s opinion section and said The Post should dedicate itself to covering opinions in support of free markets and civil liberties. The Opinion Editor resigned in response.
When I was with The Post, I read Amazon Unbound by Bloomberg journalist Brad Stone voraciously to see what sort of effects the billionaire ownership could have on the paper. Bezos sounded supposedly hands-off about the operation at the time — perhaps now no longer.
As WaPo chief economic reporter Jeff Stein puts it, “I still have not felt encroachment on my journalism on the news side of coverage, but if Bezos tries interfering with the news side I will be quitting immediately and letting you know.”
What I’m playing now:
I’ve been playing some secret stuff we can talk about later, but beyond that, I also tried out more Balatro on mobile, Hello Kitty Island Adventure because of course, and playing as Benjamin Franklin attempting to crush a Civilization 7 run set in Mongolia. As all this gaming might make one tired, I’m also reading Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Bill Gifford and Peter Attia, and boy is it a good reminder to exercise in moderation, and eat well.
I’m gearing up for the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco from March 17-21, where I’m sure to stumble upon tons of newsletter-worthy anecdotes.