XBOX RESPONDS TO PS5'S SUCCESS, HUGE GAME DELAYED & MORE

Summary

In this video, Jake Baldino discusses the latest in gaming news, including Xbox's acknowledgment of PlayStation's marketing dominance, the potential release of a PlayStation 5 Pro hinted at by a 'No Man's Sky' update, and the delay of 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl'. He also covers the voice actors' strike, the possibility of 'Soul Reaver' remasters, and recommends checking out new demos and mods like 'Rise of the Ronin' and 'Fallout: London'. Lastly, he highlights Capcom's commitment to physical games despite a majority of their sales being digital.

Takeaways

• 📅 Today's date is Friday, July 26th, 2024, and Jake Baldino is discussing the week's video game news.
• 🎮 Xbox acknowledges PlayStation's marketing budget advantage, with their marketing director Michael Flatt admitting that Sony outspend them significantly.
• 🔍 There's speculation about a PlayStation 5 Pro, as data miners found a reference to 'Trinity' in the code for the No Man's Sky update, which is the rumored codename for the PS5 Pro.
• 📅 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl' has officially been delayed to November 20th, 2024, for further polishing and bug fixing.
• 🛡️ Video game voice actors from the SAG-AFTRA union are going on strike due to unresolved issues with AI and other concerns, potentially affecting game development and releases.
• 🎉 Capcom has reassured fans that they will continue to support physical games despite the rise in digital sales.
• 🎉 'Fallout: London', a fan-made mod for 'Fallout 4', has been released, offering a new setting in the 'Fallout' series.
• 🎁 Incogni is highlighted as a service that helps users request the removal of their personal data from data brokers, with a special discount code for an annual plan.
• 🕊️ A potential 'Soul Reaver' remaster has been spotted at San Diego Comic-Con, sparking excitement among fans of the franchise.
• 🎉 Jake Baldino encourages viewers to share what they're playing in the comments for community engagement and tailoring future content.
• 🍕 The video concludes with a reminder to have a great weekend, play games safely, and enjoy the content provided by Jake Baldino.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion for Jake Baldino's video on July 26th, 2024?

The main topic of discussion is the latest video game news, including marketing strategies of Xbox and PlayStation, updates on the PS5 Pro, and various other gaming news.

How does Xbox's marketing director, Michael Flatt, describe their approach to marketing spend compared to PlayStation?

Michael Flatt describes Xbox's approach as more fiscally responsible, acknowledging that Sony and PlayStation outspend them in marketing funds. He mentions that Xbox has to be scrappy with their media investments due to limited budgets.

What is the code name for the rumored PS5 Pro, and what does it signify?

The code name for the rumored PS5 Pro is 'Trinity'. It signifies that there are ongoing leaks and rumors suggesting the development of an upgraded PlayStation 5 model.

What update did No Man's Sky receive, and what does it include?

No Man's Sky received a 5.0 update called 'No Man's Sky Worlds'. It includes significant overhauls to the game, new content, more ship customization, increased planet variety, and improved shadow and water graphics.

What is the new release date for 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl' after the announced delay?

The new release date for 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl' is November 20th, after being delayed from the original release date of September 5th.

What is the purpose of Incogni, as mentioned in the video?

Incogni is a service that helps individuals request the removal of their personal data from data brokers, providing an intuitive dashboard to track the progress of these requests.

What is the significance of the voice actors' strike starting on Friday in the video game industry?

The voice actors' strike, involving members of the SAG-AFTRA union, is significant as it may lead to delays in game development and releases, with major titles like 'Grand Theft Auto VI' potentially being affected.

What is the potential new development related to the 'Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver' series mentioned in the video?

The potential new development is a remastered edition of 'Soul Reaver 1 and 2', which was spotted on a card at the San Diego Comic-Con, although it has not been officially confirmed.

What fan mod project based on 'Fallout 4' has been released, and where can it be obtained?

The fan mod project 'Fallout: London' has been released and can be obtained on GOG. It is a full game mod that brings the 'Fallout' experience to London.

What stance does Capcom take on supporting physical games despite the rise of digital sales?

Capcom claims that they will continue to support physical games due to significant demand from end users, despite 90% of their sales now being digital.

How does Jake Baldino encourage viewers to engage with the content and share their gaming experiences?

Jake Baldino encourages viewers to share what they are playing in the comments of his video, as it helps tailor future content to their interests and provides a form of marketing research.

Outlines

00:00

🕹️ Xbox Acknowledges PlayStation's Marketing Edge

Jake Baldino discusses a report from Marketing Week highlighting Xbox's marketing challenges in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa division. The report notes that despite being owned by Microsoft, Xbox must compete for marketing funds against Sony and PlayStation, who are said to have more substantial marketing budgets. Xbox's marketing director, Michael Flatt, admits to the competition and outlines Xbox's more fiscally responsible approach to media investments, suggesting a need to be 'scrappy' with their marketing efforts. Baldino ponders the potential reasons for this disparity, speculating whether Sony's focus on entertainment divisions might make them more willing to invest in marketing for video games.

05:02

🔍 Speculations on PS5 Pro Continue with No Man's Sky Update

The script touches on the ongoing rumors about the PS5 Pro, with the latest being a data mine from the No Man's Sky 5.0 update that references a 'Trinity' graphics setting, believed to be a code name for the PS5 Pro. Baldino also discusses the game update itself, which includes significant overhauls and new content. He then poses questions to the audience about their interest in a PS5 Pro, especially considering the current gaming landscape and the potential for a more powerful console. Furthermore, he mentions the delay of 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl' to a later release date, emphasizing the importance of taking time to polish games rather than rushing them to market.

10:02

🎙️ Video Game Voice Actors' Strike and Industry Updates

Jake Baldino reports on the video game voice actors' strike initiated by SAG-AFTRA union members due to unresolved contract issues, particularly concerning AI and the potential for voice actors to be replaced by technology. The strike could potentially lead to game delays, with 'Grand Theft Auto VI' being a notable example. Baldino also mentions an unconfirmed sighting at San Diego Comic-Con of a card suggesting 'Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered,' sparking excitement among fans of the 'Legacy of Kain' series. Additionally, he provides updates on other games, such as 'Rise of the Ronin,' 'Nobody Wants to Die,' and the release of the 'Fallout: London' mod. Lastly, he highlights Capcom's commitment to continue supporting physical games despite a significant rise in digital sales.

Keywords

💡Xbox

Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. It is central to the video's theme as it discusses the business and marketing strategies employed by Xbox in comparison to its competitor, PlayStation. The script mentions Xbox's acknowledgment of PlayStation's marketing dominance and the challenges Xbox faces in securing marketing funds.

💡PlayStation

PlayStation is a gaming brand by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is a key concept in the video as it is positioned as the main competitor to Xbox. The script discusses how PlayStation outspends Xbox in marketing, suggesting a competitive advantage in this area.

💡Marketing Spend

Marketing spend refers to the budget allocated for promoting products or services. In the context of the video, it is used to highlight the financial disparity between Xbox and PlayStation in terms of marketing investments, with Xbox needing to be more resourceful due to a smaller budget.

💡Fiscally Responsible

Being fiscally responsible means managing finances in a prudent and cost-effective manner. The video uses this term to describe Xbox's approach to media investments, suggesting that they must be strategic and efficient with their marketing funds.

💡PS5 Pro

PS5 Pro refers to a rumored upgraded version of the PlayStation 5 console. The video discusses leaks and speculations about its existence, indicating a potential future release that could impact the gaming market.

💡Data Miners

Data miners are individuals who search through software, particularly video games, to discover hidden or secret information. In the script, data miners found a reference to 'Trinity' in the code of a game update, which is believed to be the code name for the PS5 Pro, sparking further rumors about its development.

💡S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl is a video game that is mentioned in the script as having been officially delayed. The term is relevant as it discusses the common practice in the gaming industry of delaying game releases to ensure quality, which resonates with the video's theme of industry news and updates.

💡Incogni

Incogni is a service mentioned in the video that helps users request the removal of their personal data from data brokers. It is relevant as the video's sponsor and ties into the broader theme of online security and privacy, which is a significant concern in the digital age.

💡SAG-AFTRA Union

SAG-AFTRA is a union representing actors in the United States. The video discusses a strike by video game voice actors who are members of this union due to unresolved contract issues, particularly around the use of AI and job security, which impacts the gaming industry and its development cycles.

💡Soul Reaver

Soul Reaver is a video game series that the video suggests might be getting a remaster or a new installment. The term is significant as it indicates potential news for fans of the franchise and reflects the video's focus on gaming industry updates and speculations.

💡Fallout: London

Fallout: London is a fan-made mod for the game Fallout 4, set in London. It is mentioned in the script as a significant achievement by modders and represents the passion and creativity within the gaming community, which is a key theme in the video.

Highlights

Xbox acknowledges PlayStation's marketing budget advantage, with the marketing director Michael Flatt admitting that Sony outspend them.

Xbox adopts a more fiscally responsible approach to media investments due to limited marketing funds.

No Man's Sky 5.0 update, called No Man's Sky Worlds, introduces significant overhauls and new content.

Data miners find a reference to 'Trinity', the code name for the rumored PS5 Pro, in No Man's Sky's update code.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl officially announced a delay to polish the game further, moving the release date to November 20th.

Incogni offers a service to help users request the removal of their personal data from data brokers.

Video game voice actors from the SAG-AFTRA union go on strike due to unresolved deal issues, including AI-related concerns.

A potential 'Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered' was spotted at San Diego Comic-Con, sparking rumors of a revival of the Legacy of Kain franchise.

Rise of the Ronin releases a PS5 demo, offering a taste of its open-world action.

Nobody Wants to Die impresses with its Blade Runner-esque visuals in a narrative-driven mystery game.

Fallout: London, a fan-made mod for Fallout 4, is released, offering a full game experience set in London.

Capcom commits to continue supporting physical games despite the rise of digital sales.

Capcom's digital sales now account for 90% of their total sales.

The importance of community engagement for tailoring video content to viewer interests is emphasized.

Jake Baldino invites viewers to share their weekend gaming plans as a form of marketing research.

Discussion on the Xbox marketing strategy, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 delay, and the willingness to wait for quality games is encouraged among viewers.

Transcripts

(upbeat music)

- Hey folks, today is Friday, July 26th, 2024.

As usual, my name is Jake Baldino,

here to talk about all the video game news

that has been going on this week.

I'm on the road once again,

but there's a lot of news to dive into.

So let's just start with some console stuff.

This first one is pretty interesting.

I saw some headlines where in a way,

Xbox has kind of acknowledged PlayStation,

really acknowledged their competition fairly directly.

Now this is Inside Baseball stuff.

This is business talk,

but some of you might find it pretty interesting.

Marketing Week did a piece specifically for the division

of Europe, Middle East and Africa division,

stating marketing spends and how these things work.

He was talking about football club stuff

and exclusivity stuff with Microsoft and Xbox,

but he said specifically that even though they are Xbox

and they're owned by Microsoft

that has millions and bajillions of dollars,

they still have to fight

for every bit of marketing spend they can get.

The marketing director, Michael Flatt said,

and I quote, "From a funding point of view,

we need to work really hard against their competition."

Acknowledging straight up that Sony and PlayStation,

regrettably, they outspend us.

They're blessed with marketing funds

that we're just not able to enjoy, but that's totally fine.

We adopt what I would call a more fiscally responsible

approach to media investments.

We're not blessed with huge media budgets,

so we have to be quite scrappy, really.

So I am a layman.

I am not a business analyst.

I don't know how a lot of this stuff works,

but I wonder why that is necessarily.

Is it because a lot more of Sony

is focused around entertainment divisions than Microsoft?

Sony, of course, has Sony Pictures and all that.

So are they more easily, more willing

to throw marketing dollars towards video games

where, from his voice here,

it sounds like Xbox has to work harder

and stretch their dollar 'cause Papa Microsoft

is only giving them so much.

Interesting perspective,

and it's also just interesting to hear from somebody

other than just the main guys,

the Matt Bootys, the Phil Spencer, the Sarah Bonds,

the Xbox leadership that they usually put out there

at the forefront.

So just kind of some food for thought.

I wanted to throw it out there.

If you have any more smarter insight,

we'd love to hear you in the comments,

but this whole article

and everything I talk about this week,

of course, it's gonna be linked

in the description down below.

Now you're not gonna believe this,

but another PlayStation 5 Pro leak, so to speak.

So I didn't talk about it last week,

but No Man's Sky did announce another new update.

Despite Hello Games moving on to Light No Fire,

they still dropped a 5.0 update

called No Man's Sky Worlds

that provides some significant overhauls to the game,

some new content to play,

just some changes to how things work,

more ship customization, more planet variety,

way different ways that planets can generate and appear,

overhauled shadow, water graphics, a lot going on here.

It's a very impressive update,

but some eagle-eyed people,

some data miners specifically caught reference

in the code to a graphics setting labeled Trinity.

Trinity, if you guys don't know,

if you've been following the various PS5 Pro leaks

and rumors over the years and months

is the code name for the PS5 Pro.

It's been called Trinity,

so people are assuming that Hello Games knows

and has a setting that they're working on

for prioritizing a possible near future PS5 Pro.

It's not official, of course,

but it seems fairly likely

whether No Man's Sky has a debug unit

and they know what to expect,

or if maybe they're just looking towards the future

and trying to set things up.

We don't know for sure,

but it's just another clue, another breadcrumb

in a long string of them

that suggests the PS5 Pro is coming soon.

Now, I spent a whole video talking about this on my channel,

but ultimately I wanna ask you guys,

do you want a PS5 Pro?

Is that something that you're interested in?

Are you a PC gamer?

Maybe you were waiting to get a PS5

and now you're getting a Pro.

Where do you fall?

Because it's interesting.

I don't know.

The launch of a PS5 Pro feels different this time around

compared to the launch of the PS4 Pro.

The marketing conditions, the availability of games,

everything, but let me know.

And in other news,

it's been a while since we've talked a game delay,

but "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl"

has officially announced a delay.

The developers took to social media

to say that they are delaying the game one more,

one more time, to clean things up,

polish some bugs, essentially.

So now the game is jumping from the previous release date

of September 5th up to November 20th.

So, you know, just a later in the fall release date.

I have seen this game.

I have played this game.

I've gotten my hands on it at Summer Game Fest.

And yeah, I played a work in progress version,

but it could definitely use

a little more polishing and tweaking, sure.

Regardless, this falls in the category

of every time we talk about this, right?

I think as players, not shareholders,

we always appreciate games taking more time

and getting better.

Nobody likes a released game

that is half-baked, busted, rushed.

We've seen it time and time again.

At this point, there are so many games out there

from the last couple of years to really catch up on

that I can wait a little while longer for another one

to potentially get a little better.

What's the classic Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo quote,

"A delayed game is good,

"but if you rush the game, it sucks.

"Don't do it."

I don't remember the quote, but I always get it wrong.

This is like the third time I've done this on this show.

Can you put up the real quote so people can see it?

Thank you.

And if you are waiting for more S.T.A.L.K.E.R. stuff,

just saying they did also announce

that they are posting a big developer deep dive video

on August 12th.

So if you have been waiting with bated breath,

you can see a little bit more about what the game is about.

It's been a long and tough development cycle for this one,

but it is for the return of a legendary game franchise.

So again, I'm really looking forward

to seeing what they got.

Next up, I wanna talk about the sponsor

of today's video, Incogni.

Now here's the deal.

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We talk about online security a lot here,

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holding onto stuff like your full name, your age,

your gender, your address, even your phone number.

You've definitely heard or seen the big headlines out there

about major companies getting hacked.

It's happened to me.

Maybe I've signed up for random things,

totally forgot about it,

but then suddenly my email is filled with spam,

meaning my email address is just floating around out there.

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I know you don't want that for your stuff,

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It's got an intuitive, easy-to-read dashboard

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It's actually really cool to just set it up,

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Once again, that's incogni.com/gameranx,

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And big thanks to Incogni for sponsoring this video.

Next up, I'm recording this episode a little bit early,

so this is still developing.

The news just dropped,

but the voice actors are going on strike.

Yes, you heard it.

Video game voice actors are striking

starting on Friday, if you're watching this right now.

Specifically, actors that are members

of the SAG-AFTRA union,

which is a lot of the more high-profile

voice actors and stuff,

specifically because a deal has not been reached.

You guys probably remember the Hollywood Actors Strike

from a couple of months back now at this point.

Essentially here, they got almost everything they wanted

except for provisions about AI.

Now, apparently the actors got some protections with AI.

There's a concern of people being replaced

by computer programs.

So video game voice actors are pushing for the same thing,

and they haven't been happy

with what they've been getting back from the companies.

And I do feel like video games

are already using generative AI

and a bunch of different things

to help speed up game development,

but it probably does feel like a matter of time

where they're just gonna start cloning people's voices

and stuff like that.

So they want protections against that.

Now, the video game publishers' side of this,

they stated, "Hey, we're pretty good.

We gave them everything they wanted."

But again, I think this is something worth pushing for.

We wish them the best.

But for the average person out there, what does this mean?

It means we might see more games delayed down the line,

but it all depends on how long this goes on.

This could go on for a year.

This could go on for a couple of weeks.

We have no way of knowing at all,

but it is games from all the big publishers.

Specifically the one making the headlines the most,

like I believe Inverse reported this,

that "Grand Theft Auto VI"

would be one of those games affected.

So now are you paying attention?

Yeah, so with the demands and everything,

again, I am not an expert on this stuff.

So I recommend if you feel passionately about it,

check out some other sources.

I'll link it in the description down below, but yeah.

Here's something crazy that I didn't expect.

Now this isn't confirmed yet,

but spotted on the San Diego Comic-Con show floor,

there is like a new kind of spinoff work

of "Soul Reaver" in the works.

A comic called "Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver,

The Dead Shall Rise."

We've known about that for a while.

They're apparently showing off cool statues

at San Diego Comic-Con,

but somebody spotted a card with the logo for "Soul Reaver,"

and it actually says "Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered,"

which immediately lit the internet on fire,

or at least lit the internet on fire.

Everyone over 30.

Again, we're going off of like one shot

at San Diego Comic-Con.

I'm trying to get somebody I know who's there

to like go find this,

but as of the time of recording this,

not officially confirmed, but this is cool.

Again, I am starting to get tired of just like remakes,

remasters, re-releases,

but with something like this,

a franchise that's been dormant

since "Legacy of Kain, Defiance,"

from like what, 2003, something like that,

I'll take anything I can get at this point with this series.

So if this is them testing the waters to see interest

in possibly continuing the franchise, maybe.

Of course, years ago, Square Enix,

they did have a new one in the works,

kind of like a spinoff one called, rumored, "Dead Sons,"

but that never got off the ground.

That was canceled.

So maybe now is the time

for the "Legacy of Kain" games to return.

I would love to see it.

I love Kain very much, specifically.

I just love vampires.

So let's see where this goes.

Now, this week, in terms of like what you're playing,

what to check out, there's a couple of things.

"Rise of the Ronin" got a PS5 demo,

if you're curious to checking that out.

I did the Before you Buy for this video, for this game,

and I like this game.

It's a little forgettable, but like moment to moment fun,

good, just mindless open world stuff,

and a lot of good violence and gore

and challenging combat went a long way.

So you can download a demo if you want.

Check it out.

You don't gotta listen to me.

But also, "Nobody Wants to Die."

We did the Before You Buy on this.

The graphics are absolutely incredible

on this like cool "Blade Runner" cyberpunk-esque

noir detective thriller game.

But it's a really simple game.

It's like a mystery game,

kind of walking simulator narrative thing,

no combat or anything like that.

But the visuals, yes, they are actually as good

as they look in the YouTube video.

It's crazy to see.

But also, at long last, "Fallout: London"

has finally released.

The fan mod project that builds off

of the base of "Fallout 4" is finally out,

and it's like a full-ass full game.

It's London.

It's "Fallout" in London, which is absolutely brilliant.

The launch trailer you see on screen here

does a great job setting the stage and the tone

for what these people have built,

this dedicated group of modders, developers, fans.

I am so excited to dive into this.

I think we're working on a Before You Buy video,

but since I'm traveling, I don't think I get to do it.

But I just think this is just an incredible achievement.

I've said this so many times before,

but when people have a passion for games

and they're smart and capable, the sky is the limit.

We get the coolest shit.

And I really wish them well with "Fallout London."

So you can get it on GOG.

It's too big for just a Nexus mod download,

so you can get it on GOG.

And there's a good explainer on how to install it

and set it up if you're a novice.

The Inverse did a great breakdown on this,

so I will link that in the description down below.

Good luck, have fun.

Let me know how it is.

Also in some positive news, in case you missed it,

Capcom claims that they're going

to continue supporting physical games.

Yes, the physical game warriors

are gonna take this one as a victory.

Capcom at an investor shareholders Q&A thing

when asked about the rise of digital sales,

will they still support physical?

And they basically said yes.

A quote from the thing written by the executives is this,

"Given that a significant number of end users

demand physical games,

we do not expect to eliminate physical products."

There you have it.

That's significant though,

because as Video Games Chronicle is quick to point out,

90% of Capcom sales are now digital,

but Capcom's been a little weird and a little cool.

They try different things

and I'm glad that they're still supporting physical.

They've been making some good moves recently in my opinion,

but with anything like this,

and I'm sorry I'm repeating myself from another video,

but actions speak louder than words.

Talk is one thing,

but let's see if they actually do follow through

and put game boxes on physical shelves.

We're just gonna have to wait and see,

but yeah, that's the news this week.

I gotta run,

but I definitely wanna know

what you're playing this weekend.

We'll have that pinned comment down below.

Let us know in that pinned comment what you're playing,

because essentially it's like marketing research for us.

It helps us kind of decide how to tailor videos to you,

what you guys are playing, what you're interested in,

what news I should look for, stuff like that.

So let us know what you're playing,

but let me know what you think

about all the stories this week.

Are you jumping into "Fallout: London?"

What do you think about those quotes

from the Xbox marketing exec

and how that stuff goes down?

Are you okay with a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 delay?

Are you okay with the fact that it gets delayed

into eternity?

Are you willing to wait for games?

Let's talk about any of this stuff down in the comments.

I wanna hear from you guys,

but thank you for coming around here.

You know, every Friday, I gotcha,

whether I'm here, at home, on the road, wherever.

Big thanks for you guys coming around.

Clicking the like button does help,

but that's really it.

All I ask of you is to have a great weekend,

be safe, play some video games.

I'm Jake Baldino.

Pizza's on me.