2024-01-07 21:32:16
In recent years, many game services have accumulated, and companies have recruited many employees. Now there are waves of layoffs, the release of the new Nintendo Switch is approaching, and Saudi Arabia is exploring the gaming industry. Jason Schreyer tried to imagine what would happen in 2024
As 2024 slowly begins, many experts are trying to “predict” the future. The famous investigative journalist Jason Schreyer, who presented 5 major predictions.
Nintendo Switch will have a “twist” (some unexpected twist): many predict that Nintendo will introduce an analogue console, just a more powerful Switch. However, Schreyer wouldn’t be surprised if the company does something crazy. Over the past 40 years, she has repeatedly surprised with decisions (sometimes controversial, such as saving cartridges for the Nintendo 64).
Saudi Arabia will actively invest in the gaming industry: Schreyer notes that Saudi Arabia is seeking to diversify beyond oil.
It has already invested in esports and some gaming companies, including Nintendo and Scopely Inc, so the journalist expects that movement in this direction will continue in 2024. This state has certain features in the field of human rights, so Western companies will have to decide whether they are ready to accept investments from such people or not.
Consolidation will return: Schreyer expects interest rates to drop + following the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal closes, problems when purchasing gaming companies, mergers, etc. should be less common.
He considers Saudi Arabia as potential buyers, as well as US technology giants Amazon, Alphabet, Apple; but Microsoft, he believes, will now stick to “smaller steps” (making not so much large purchases) so that there is no risk of getting bogged down in proceedings, as was the case with Activision Blizzard.
He sees Ubisoft and Electronic Arts, as well as Gearbox Entertainment, as candidates for sale.
Service games will face a “reckoning”: Jason Schreyer notes that this is already happening, but expects “the carnage to get worse” in 2024 (tighter competition for players’ time).
Gaming companies are chasing the success of Fortnite and Destiny by creating their own game services. Many of them failed, even some giants did not succeed on the way to a successful service game. Projects of this type compete with each other endlessly, i.e. market oversaturation is inevitable.
He suggests that (most likely) long-term games Skull & Bones from Ubisoft and Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League from Warner Bros. Doomed before release. Sony PlayStation was once going to make a bunch of game services, but recently canceled several and Schreyer suggests that others will soon be closed.
Trade unions will make real money: in 2023, many were laid off in the gaming industry and some experts expect the trend to continue in 2024. Workers want to protect themselves and Schreyer expects that the trade union movement will strengthen this year (movement in this direction began last year).
The biggest changes are expected at Microsoft, since during the proceedings for the purchase of Activision Blizzard it entered into a neutrality agreement with the Communications Workers of America union (it promised not to interfere in the organization of employees). In 2024, Schreyer expects this to be significant.
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