Charts, Cuts, and Change: Layoffs at Microsoft and the ESA’s Annual Report
This week on UNBOXING, Laine and Joost tackle two major industry headlines. First up: the latest round of layoffs at Microsoft’s gaming division. They break down what the cuts mean in the broader context of industry consolidation before turning to the second big topic of the day: ESA’s 2025 Essential Facts report. Laine and Joost explore what the annual snapshot says (and doesn’t say) about American gaming habits.
Rounding out the episode is Laine’s dispatch from the Games for Change festival, where high-profile keynotes, investor-friendly messaging, and grassroots projects offered a sometimes contradictory vision of “change.” And finally, this week’s episode concludes with CEO talk––including a bluesky post turned doomscroll showing how much more EA’s CEO gets paid than its workers do.
Listen in!