130°

Nintendo of America President: “Everyone Has the Right To Form a Union”

Inverse sat down with Doug Bowser to talk about the release of 'Super Mario Bros. Wonder,' the future of the Nintendo Switch, and the state of the industry.

XiNatsuDragnel187d ago

I agree everyone has a right to form a union for sure.

porkChop187d ago

As terrible as unions really are, the game industry clearly needs them.

DarXyde187d ago

Meanwhile, there's a sizable positive correlation between unionization rates and middle class health.

It's almost like, in the absence of collective bargaining, employers will extract benefits and pay themselves while keeping worker wages low and keeping them in a state of perpetual dependence until you bring them to heel with by withholding labour.

Strange how that works.

There are corrupt unions. Of course there are. But they are a net positive.

porkChop187d ago

I agree that unions have positives and I know that they're a necessity. I'm just saying that they aren't the perfect solution that some have made them out to be. Unions offer employees some much needed protection but they also create new problems.

DarXyde187d ago

porkChop,

In a perfect world (in my view, anyway), every workplace functions like a co-op where workers own their labour and the workers have the ability to fire their supervisors. Based on performance. I think that would go a long way in keeping the workplace humble and honest.

We don't have that kind of workplace democracy however. Does it politicize the workplace? No more than it is already, the difference is that you have a micro-democracy instead of a micro-dictatorship.

In the absence of that, we've got unions. They are not the ultimate goal, but they are the best we can hope for in the current climate. It would be like the US receiving UK-style universal healthcare. I think that would be the best solution, but we're likely going to have to settle (for now) for a half measure (M4A or a public option).

Godmars290187d ago

"I'm just saying that they aren't the perfect solution that some have made them out to be."

Only there are too many examples that waiting for companies to fairly treat their employees is only going to be a long wait.

porkChop187d ago

Agreed, though I never suggested that anyone should wait for anything.

jznrpg187d ago

Unions are great for employees who plan on staying at a job for a long time or for life. The dues are negligible to what you gain long term. For short term employees it makes less of a difference but generally pay and benefits are better even for short term employees.

Darkegg187d ago (Edited 187d ago )

It’s the eternal problem not unique to just gaming. It’s the abuse at both extremes. It’s a problem where those who make lots of money abuse power. Unions, being a subscription, are unnaturally compelled to do something rather than be a shield to be wielded when necessary. The correct path is to be in the middle in regards to the right mindset and action. For example, in healthcare I had bosses who were tyrannical in leadership. That didn’t work. I have a new boss who is polar opposite and let employees dictate the pace. Again a failure. In either case I have been a hard worker and both bosses had minimal impact on my productivity. Both bosses don’t have issues with me because I do what’s right. Not motivated by more money or what I can get away with. My behavior is that of my own will bc it’s just good for society. When we change our goals less about money and more about what’s wholesome.. the focus changes and life becomes easier to tolerate. Live by being, not doing. And be happy. This isn’t really the cycle for video games to thrive given the state of the world so if one isn’t fulfilled with life working for gaming company I suggest switching careers that of what ppl need than want.. switch to healthcare. It’s not lucrative but u may feel more comfortable. Otherwise pick a career where u want to better the community on more fundamental ways. It will feel good to help others than fight about consumeables that frankly have limited value to life. And that’s the real way to strike against game industry with the greed i so hear about the top executives. When u walk away and nobody works.. that seems to be the way given how severe the life is for average employee. It seems working for video games is imbalance of life and an unhealthy one. It will continue as long as we allow it .. customers and the workers. Video game work culture needs a serious overhaul and yes the greed of the top executives need infrastructure change to disallow them from taking money the way they do. Maybe change how their salary is appraised. That seems to be a huge distortion whoever decided that. If they abuse workers and make them work under pressure slaving away 80-100 hours a week only to be fired for sake of their personal salary.. that is flat out wrong. Activision looking at you.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 187d ago
anast187d ago

Everyone has the right to hire a middle man instead of directly changing things...Bowser knows what's up. Nintendo has got some real pros running that ship.

Concertoine187d ago

Was gonna say, Nintendo workers seem to have it pretty good by industry standards. You dont often hear about layoffs or studio closures at Nintendo.

jznrpg187d ago

But companies will fight it with a lot of money and propaganda

Inverno187d ago

"Everyone has a right, but doesn't mean we'll make it easy for ya to do so muahahaha"
I don't necessarily mean Nintendo, just companies in general these days.

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110°

Outriders Dev's Next Game Has Been Canceled After Publishing Agreement With Take-Two Fell Through

Outriders developer People Can Fly's next game has been canceled after its publishing agreement with Take-Two Interactive fell through.

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twistedvoxel.com
Tacoboto1d 18h ago

"the capital group of PCF Group S.A."

If you're getting funding from a group that needs two different ways of Acronyming itself, things will not go the way you want them to.

banger881d 12h ago

If it was more online-only crap then good riddance.

jjb198123h ago

Outriders was crap. They slapped that game together and threw in a loot system to get players' attention. This game was absolutely jank and the always online nonsense made it stutter like crazy. People Can't Optimize.

thorstein21h ago

I liked Outriders but I could see where the artistic vision was compromised. The way the industry is now, it wouldn't surprise me that upper management would scrap something that didn't pull in money via gaas, mts, or other means.

290°

Microsoft’s Surface and Xbox hardware revenues take a big hit in Q3

Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.

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theverge.com
darthv721d 15h ago

Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.

solideagle1d 2h ago

you should apply in MS PR team buddy, I think you will do a great job in my humble opinion :)

Sonic18811d ago

I thought darthv72 and Obscure_Observer already work for Microsoft 🤔

dveio23h ago

MS: "Xbox services and content without AB up 1%, with AB up 62%. Hardware down 31%. In total a loss of 350 mill."

darthv72: "Seems about right."

MS: "Excuse m ..."

darthv72: "I don't hardly play on my consoles directly."

MS:

Lightning7719h ago

What he said was facts. How he plays games is no concern of you. Don't get too mad about it.

Cacabunga1d 2h ago

I can tell people like you are an absolute minority..

If service is up means their fans and fanboys accepted this model and subscribed to it. The near future you will see a big decline because the service is saturated.

darthv7212h ago

to you it may seem like the minority... but your bubble is shrinking because more and more are following suit. convenience is a hell of a drug and its also why physical sales only amount to 30% of overall game sales. times are changing, you either get with them or you get left behind.

neutralgamer19927h ago

Darth

30% physical sales: yet Phil and xbox division are in a rush go give up on that 30%. they don't have any right to give up any piece of the pie since the control such a little of the pie to begin with

also, the market is clearly speaking that the model Xbox is pushing isn't working right now the keyword being right now. you are right about freedom to play anywhere so i hope they put their games on steam

shinoff21831d 1h ago

But that's been ms for years. When things aren't going their way they try to change the way things are said. For instance console sales are down, they stop telling how many sold instead telling us how many hours spent in halo or headshots. So it makes sense console sales down just say people are playing on more devices then previous. What they won't say is how many xbox players jumped ship to ps5.

Cacabunga1d ago

Hardware sales are so bad that Sony and Nintendo are blowing the sales off the water with their hardware.

If Xbox are losers, others aren’t..
Xbox already tried everything with Xbox live then subscriptions went down so much that they had to find something else. Their fans subscribed then reached saturation rather quickly.

Hardware and exclusive games is where it’s at! Keep gamers excited, announce decent software and people will support you

itsmebryan20h ago

@shin
Well keep it simple Sony 's operating income is down 26% and Microsoft's is up 32%. No MS spin there, just facts. 😉
Cheers

S2Killinit13h ago

MS is after diminishing consoles as a medium. They want to destroy this market because they couldnt win. MS’s vision is to dissolve console gaming.

romulus2319h ago

Odd that a company that touts you dont need the hardware to play is already touting another console in the works.

darthv7219h ago

They are not reliant on the HW but still want to maintain a presence (no matter how small) is a good thing. It shows commitment to the craft. It reminds me of SNK and how they made games for their own hardware (Neo Geo) while also making them for others because they knew there was a market to do so. They knew they would sell more to others but also sell to their own niche fan base.

TheEroica12h ago(Edited 12h ago)

Perfectly reasonable post down voted by insecure corporation friendly folk.... But not gamers. Real gamer want accessibility and ease of acquisition for all.... Company shills are the only ones still telling us that hardware locking people from games is good for us.

Chevalier7h ago

@Darth

You should stop parroting metrics like an idiot without context.

"Xbox content and services revenue grew 62% in Q3 from a year earlier, “driven by 61 points of net impact” from the purchase of the third-party video game giant, Microsoft said."

61 of the 62% was from their merger so net increase is ONLY 1%

https://www.mesaonline.org/...

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 7h ago
purple1011d 5h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos1d 4h ago

I'm not surprised surface is struggling they aren't relevant anymore

DOMination-18h ago

In the last two years they've started exiting the consumer market altogether. All of the newest Surface products are business models only. They can't seem to work out what they want to do with it.

XBManiac1d 3h ago

Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.

SimpleDad1d 3h ago (Edited 1d 3h ago )

"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."

That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.

purple1011d 3h ago

Activision: "we gonna need a bigger rucksack/backpack please"

Microsoft: "why's that"

Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'

Profchaos1d 2h ago (Edited 1d 2h ago )

Top brass have also wanted to start seeing returns on the 100 billion they have put into various Xbox related moves so seeing more multiplatform games is highly likely especially from abk

It's basically saying that PlayStation is the reason Xbox is afloat right now thinks to Ps5 versions of COD

Kornholic1d 1h ago

So basically PS and PC gamers' money is keeping Xbox on life support.

MrDead18h ago

The only growth MS will get out of the console industry is if it supports it's rivals platforms. Xbox is a pointless machine now. I can see them on a big push for live next, and they won't give up on trying to buy Steam.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 18h ago
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90°

An Update on This Year’s BlizzCon and Blizzard’s 2024 Live Events

Blizzard writes: "After careful consideration over the last year, we at Blizzard have made the decision not to hold BlizzCon in 2024. This decision was not made lightly as BlizzCon remains a very special event for all of us, and we know many of you look forward to it. While we’re approaching this year differently and as we have explored different event formats in the past, rest assured that we are just as excited as ever to bring BlizzCon back in future years."

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blizzcon.com
PRIMORDUS1d 13h ago

How about you not hold Blizzcon anymore period. You fucking POS company. I really hope Blizzard would just die.