Ep 214: Pricing Your Joy

 The gaming industry is charging you more for the privilege of having fun. This week we dig into dynamic pricing, Saudi Arabia's gaming empire, and brain cells playing Doom. Plus stocks, mail, and what we've been playing. Episode 214 of Gamestack. 

This week: Life Is Strange is getting a TV series (casting confirmed), God of War is filming in Vancouver, the internet is fired up about cosplay, and we dive into the March new releases — including Death Stranding 2, Crimson Desert, Monster Hunter Stories 3, and more.Plus: GameStock, Mailstack (is there such a thing as a game that's too long?), and what we're playing.

 Pirate survival games are hitting a million wishlists before launch, developers are carefully redefining “AI,” players are organizing to stop publishers from deleting the games they bought, and Phil Spencer is retiring as Xbox hands the keys to an AI executive just a completely normal week in gaming. In Episode 212, we break down pirates, policy, profits, indie artistry, corporate automation, and check in on GameStock to see who’s actually winning in the boardroom. 

 Episode 211 is here and yes  it’s unquestionably great. This week we break down the biggest gaming headlines, what we’ve been playing, and whether the industry is thriving… or just really good at pretending. From surprise announcements to spicy takes, we stack the games and the arguments. Pull up a chair greatness awaits. 

Gamestack Episode 210: Rewinding the Future is here. AI is building worlds, Roblox is powered by vibes, Sony might let PlayStation characters host podcasts, and the hardware market is wheezing while we pretend it's normal. Ravensview and Vendortron break down the news, the numbers, and what we're playing.

This week feels like one of those rare moments where the entire western hemisphere quietly agreed to stay inside and play video games at the same time. Winter weather hitting the majority of us sent us into cosy vibes, mild chaos, and a shared sense that reality can wait a few moments. We've got community stories, digital comfort food, people discovering old games like they're brand new, and that familiar lie we all tell ourselves: "I'll only play for an hour."There will be news, market numbers, emotional investments in fake economies, and the slow realization that the backlog is not a list, it's a lifestyle.

This week in gaming: Ubisoft is "refocusing its roadmap," which is corporate speak for "we cancelled your childhood," London, Ontario is becoming a game dev hub for some reason, Sega Founder has left the server, meanwhile, our backlog has achieved sentience and is actively disappointed in us.

This week we've got another one making the rounds: "10 Drama-Heavy Video Games To Play Before You Kick the Bucket." Some great picks, some head-scratchers, and all the usual internet energy of "this is objectively correct and if you disagree you're wrong." We'll talk about why these lists never stop and why we keep clicking them anyway.

Hey friends! I (Shaline) will be taking a little hiatus from Gamestack, but I'll be back. I'm still hanging out in discord if you want to reach me. Vendor and Ravensview will hold the fort down while I'm away.

It's about starting over.