Mat Piscatella
@matpiscatella.bsky.social
Senior Director & Video Game Industry Thought Leader at Circana. Formerly of Activision and Warner Bros Games. I helped get one of your favorite games greenlit.
Pinned
Upcoming U.S. video game market results from Circana:
Coverage Month - Public Release Date
Aug (Aug 3 - Aug 30) - Oct 8
Sep (Aug 31 - Oct 4) - Oct 22
Oct (Oct 5 - Nov 1) - Nov 20
Nov (Nov 2 - Nov 29) - Dec 17
Digital Data Sharing Participating Publishers:
Coverage Month - Public Release Date
Aug (Aug 3 - Aug 30) - Oct 8
Sep (Aug 31 - Oct 4) - Oct 22
Oct (Oct 5 - Nov 1) - Nov 20
Nov (Nov 2 - Nov 29) - Dec 17
Digital Data Sharing Participating Publishers:
"As for the year-end sales season, and thinking about the customer lifetime value, and also thinking about the profitability, we want to promote so that we will expand the install base."
She did say "promote" but did not specify lower pricing. Holiday discounts have not been the norm recently.
She did say "promote" but did not specify lower pricing. Holiday discounts have not been the norm recently.
The PS5 is only in the middle of its lifecycle, says Sony CFO Lin Tao:
"The PS5 is only in the middle of the journey[...]There are many active users enjoying the console. We are really planning to expand it even further.
Holiday promotions to expand install base.
➡️ gamingbolt.com/ps5-is-only-...
"The PS5 is only in the middle of the journey[...]There are many active users enjoying the console. We are really planning to expand it even further.
Holiday promotions to expand install base.
➡️ gamingbolt.com/ps5-is-only-...
November 11, 2025 at 4:37 PM
"As for the year-end sales season, and thinking about the customer lifetime value, and also thinking about the profitability, we want to promote so that we will expand the install base."
She did say "promote" but did not specify lower pricing. Holiday discounts have not been the norm recently.
She did say "promote" but did not specify lower pricing. Holiday discounts have not been the norm recently.
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
“Don’t gather some of the most brilliant activists in the industry, treat us like crap, and then expect us to do nothing about it.” After the Game Awards cancelled its Future Class programme, @alyssamerc.bsky.social talked to its former honorees
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
“We were effectively props”: young stars of game development feel let down by the ‘gaming Oscars’
Announced in 2020 by the Game Awards as an inclusive programme for the industry’s next generation, the Future Class initiative has now been discontinued. Inductees describe clashes with organisers and...
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
“Don’t gather some of the most brilliant activists in the industry, treat us like crap, and then expect us to do nothing about it.” After the Game Awards cancelled its Future Class programme, @alyssamerc.bsky.social talked to its former honorees
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
Seems pretty good to me idk.
Ghost of Yotei has sold over 3.3 million copies in 30 days
➡️ www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/...
#GhostofYotei #PS5
➡️ www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/...
#GhostofYotei #PS5
November 11, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Seems pretty good to me idk.
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
Prepare yourself.
Nov 11 - Lumines Arise (@enhance-experience.com)
Nov 11 - Possessor(s) (@heartmachine.bsky.social)
Nov 12 - Winter Burrow (@pinecreekgames.com)
Nov 13 - Gigasword (@studiohybrid.bsky.social)
And so much more: the-indie-in-former.com/2025/11/03/2...
Nov 11 - Lumines Arise (@enhance-experience.com)
Nov 11 - Possessor(s) (@heartmachine.bsky.social)
Nov 12 - Winter Burrow (@pinecreekgames.com)
Nov 13 - Gigasword (@studiohybrid.bsky.social)
And so much more: the-indie-in-former.com/2025/11/03/2...
November 10, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Prepare yourself.
Nov 11 - Lumines Arise (@enhance-experience.com)
Nov 11 - Possessor(s) (@heartmachine.bsky.social)
Nov 12 - Winter Burrow (@pinecreekgames.com)
Nov 13 - Gigasword (@studiohybrid.bsky.social)
And so much more: the-indie-in-former.com/2025/11/03/2...
Nov 11 - Lumines Arise (@enhance-experience.com)
Nov 11 - Possessor(s) (@heartmachine.bsky.social)
Nov 12 - Winter Burrow (@pinecreekgames.com)
Nov 13 - Gigasword (@studiohybrid.bsky.social)
And so much more: the-indie-in-former.com/2025/11/03/2...
Anytime I hear of a video game boycott of any type I just assume I should raise the forecast. Shrug.
November 10, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Anytime I hear of a video game boycott of any type I just assume I should raise the forecast. Shrug.
There's a lot of bad words my Sicilian grandfather taught me and I'm using them all right now.
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
Italian Pasta Is Poised to Disappear From American Grocery Shelves
The Trump administration is set to impose duties of 107% on Italian pasta imports, among most punitive of the tariffs it has levied.
www.wsj.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:24 PM
There's a lot of bad words my Sicilian grandfather taught me and I'm using them all right now.
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
Hi Dev here! The reason to mention the distinction is that machine learning has been used in game development for yrs. for muscle deformers or pathing. It speeds up specific issues in our pipelines. The artist/designer has control over the process.
Gen Ai just barfs data with no process control.
Gen Ai just barfs data with no process control.
a cat with its paws up in front of a purple background that says the more you know
ALT: a cat with its paws up in front of a purple background that says the more you know
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Hi Dev here! The reason to mention the distinction is that machine learning has been used in game development for yrs. for muscle deformers or pathing. It speeds up specific issues in our pipelines. The artist/designer has control over the process.
Gen Ai just barfs data with no process control.
Gen Ai just barfs data with no process control.
Makes sense. According to Circana's Retail Tracking Service, a little more than 5% of US PS5 owners also own a Portal, so this would naturally be the most dedicated and enthusiastic slice of the gaming audience that would most rapidly trial and/or adopt new ways of playing.
PlayStation Portal senior manager says the handheld is 'the most widely used device' for the PS5 Remote Play, with an average gameplay session of 2 hours at a time
PS Portal engagement is looking good
www.techradar.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Makes sense. According to Circana's Retail Tracking Service, a little more than 5% of US PS5 owners also own a Portal, so this would naturally be the most dedicated and enthusiastic slice of the gaming audience that would most rapidly trial and/or adopt new ways of playing.
From Circana's Player Engagement Tracker - Been fun to watch Dispatch build an audience over time. Each of the spikes is a new content drop date, and it's been gaining a full point of the active daily US Steam audience each time new episodes have released. 3% of US daily actives played it on Nov 5.
November 10, 2025 at 4:18 PM
From Circana's Player Engagement Tracker - Been fun to watch Dispatch build an audience over time. Each of the spikes is a new content drop date, and it's been gaining a full point of the active daily US Steam audience each time new episodes have released. 3% of US daily actives played it on Nov 5.
Circana Player Engagement Tracker - Top 15 Titles by Total Weekly Active Users (Not Concurrent) - W/E Nov 1, 2025
- Battlefield 6 climbs into top 3 on US PS & XBX. Leads across Steam NA Geos
- Dispatch entered top 15 on Steam US
- The Monster Update pushes R.E.P.O. back into Steam top 10s
- Battlefield 6 climbs into top 3 on US PS & XBX. Leads across Steam NA Geos
- Dispatch entered top 15 on Steam US
- The Monster Update pushes R.E.P.O. back into Steam top 10s
November 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Circana Player Engagement Tracker - Top 15 Titles by Total Weekly Active Users (Not Concurrent) - W/E Nov 1, 2025
- Battlefield 6 climbs into top 3 on US PS & XBX. Leads across Steam NA Geos
- Dispatch entered top 15 on Steam US
- The Monster Update pushes R.E.P.O. back into Steam top 10s
- Battlefield 6 climbs into top 3 on US PS & XBX. Leads across Steam NA Geos
- Dispatch entered top 15 on Steam US
- The Monster Update pushes R.E.P.O. back into Steam top 10s
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
That Ortiz and Clase reportedly received the EXACT same dollar amount from fixers — in 2025! — as Shoeless Joe Jackson and Lefty Williams did in 1919 is … completely absurd. And another reason why player salaries have very little to do with why these gambling scandals happen.
November 9, 2025 at 7:04 PM
That Ortiz and Clase reportedly received the EXACT same dollar amount from fixers — in 2025! — as Shoeless Joe Jackson and Lefty Williams did in 1919 is … completely absurd. And another reason why player salaries have very little to do with why these gambling scandals happen.
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
if you are food insecure for both the humans and pets in your household there is a tool called Pet Help Finder that can help locate pet food banks nearby and other free or reduced price assistance and supplies for pets.
no one, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE, should have to give up their pet bc of this.
no one, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE, should have to give up their pet bc of this.
November 8, 2025 at 6:35 PM
if you are food insecure for both the humans and pets in your household there is a tool called Pet Help Finder that can help locate pet food banks nearby and other free or reduced price assistance and supplies for pets.
no one, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE, should have to give up their pet bc of this.
no one, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE, should have to give up their pet bc of this.
Oh yeah the System Shock 2 Remaster looks amazing on Switch 2.
SHODAN it's been too long you psychotic, evil ball of horrors.
SHODAN it's been too long you psychotic, evil ball of horrors.
November 9, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Oh yeah the System Shock 2 Remaster looks amazing on Switch 2.
SHODAN it's been too long you psychotic, evil ball of horrors.
SHODAN it's been too long you psychotic, evil ball of horrors.
This is #3 on my list of greatest games ever made.
November 8, 2025 at 10:15 PM
This is #3 on my list of greatest games ever made.
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
oh look it's the the half life subreddit for the past 4 years
Half-Life fans believe they've worked out a possible announcement date for Half-Life 3 - and it's very, very soon
www.eurogamer.net/half-life-fa...
www.eurogamer.net/half-life-fa...
November 8, 2025 at 9:17 PM
oh look it's the the half life subreddit for the past 4 years
Seriously, nothing but bangers in the replies to this thread. I've been working through these like a madman the last few nights and just *applause* and thanks to all for the recos.
Amazing how one can think they're fairly dialed in and miss like 30 GOTY contenders.
Amazing how one can think they're fairly dialed in and miss like 30 GOTY contenders.
Alright, what smaller games do I need to try before making the GOTY list?
I'll recommend you give these a whirl:
Dispatch (you know that already though)
Keeper
Bionic Bay
Herdling
and Roger
Sword of the Sea
The Midnight Walk
(And for the love of OUYA stop calling all smaller games 'indies')
I'll recommend you give these a whirl:
Dispatch (you know that already though)
Keeper
Bionic Bay
Herdling
and Roger
Sword of the Sea
The Midnight Walk
(And for the love of OUYA stop calling all smaller games 'indies')
November 8, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Seriously, nothing but bangers in the replies to this thread. I've been working through these like a madman the last few nights and just *applause* and thanks to all for the recos.
Amazing how one can think they're fairly dialed in and miss like 30 GOTY contenders.
Amazing how one can think they're fairly dialed in and miss like 30 GOTY contenders.
Dispatch how are you this charming and funny.
What a joy this game has been.
What a joy this game has been.
November 8, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Dispatch how are you this charming and funny.
What a joy this game has been.
What a joy this game has been.
I used to have this job. Can't believe they made it into a great little game.
store.steampowered.com/app/3509180/...
store.steampowered.com/app/3509180/...
Pocket Boss on Steam
Who says that work and play don’t mix? Not us! Play Pocket Boss, the game where you handle lots of fun data and one not-so-fun boss.
store.steampowered.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:19 AM
I used to have this job. Can't believe they made it into a great little game.
store.steampowered.com/app/3509180/...
store.steampowered.com/app/3509180/...
Gonna miss petting my best pal Tamodachi in Herdling.
I did lose one of my herd on the journey, which was tough.
But it's a beautiful little game that emotionally punches far above its weight.
Love everything Okomotive makes.
I did lose one of my herd on the journey, which was tough.
But it's a beautiful little game that emotionally punches far above its weight.
Love everything Okomotive makes.
November 7, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Gonna miss petting my best pal Tamodachi in Herdling.
I did lose one of my herd on the journey, which was tough.
But it's a beautiful little game that emotionally punches far above its weight.
Love everything Okomotive makes.
I did lose one of my herd on the journey, which was tough.
But it's a beautiful little game that emotionally punches far above its weight.
Love everything Okomotive makes.
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
ICYMI: Microsoft’s charge “implies a more than $12 billion quarterly loss at OpenAI, said Firoz Valliji, an analyst at Bernstein.”
That “would mark one of the largest single-quarter losses for a tech company in history.”
@jessefelder.bsky.social $MSFT
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
That “would mark one of the largest single-quarter losses for a tech company in history.”
@jessefelder.bsky.social $MSFT
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
November 7, 2025 at 7:17 PM
ICYMI: Microsoft’s charge “implies a more than $12 billion quarterly loss at OpenAI, said Firoz Valliji, an analyst at Bernstein.”
That “would mark one of the largest single-quarter losses for a tech company in history.”
@jessefelder.bsky.social $MSFT
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
That “would mark one of the largest single-quarter losses for a tech company in history.”
@jessefelder.bsky.social $MSFT
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
Y'all crazy if you're thinking about spending $300 to watch trailers.
November 7, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Y'all crazy if you're thinking about spending $300 to watch trailers.
I wasn't overly concerned about ME5 but somehow a blog saying everything is still happening has made me a little concerned?
November 7, 2025 at 5:16 PM
I wasn't overly concerned about ME5 but somehow a blog saying everything is still happening has made me a little concerned?
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
perhaps the most egregious thing that happened with the Future Class was when The Game Awards took money from Old Spice in the name of the FC & simply... pocketed it
it wasn't used to fund Future Class initiatives, it wasn't used to help lift marginalised developers
they just profited from us
it wasn't used to fund Future Class initiatives, it wasn't used to help lift marginalised developers
they just profited from us
November 7, 2025 at 5:59 AM
perhaps the most egregious thing that happened with the Future Class was when The Game Awards took money from Old Spice in the name of the FC & simply... pocketed it
it wasn't used to fund Future Class initiatives, it wasn't used to help lift marginalised developers
they just profited from us
it wasn't used to fund Future Class initiatives, it wasn't used to help lift marginalised developers
they just profited from us
If you're at the age where you're having this thought... be sure to schedule that colonoscopy!!
#getyourpoopercheckedbeforegta6
#getyourpoopercheckedbeforegta6
Wild that GTA6 will be the last Grand Theft Auto release I'll likely be alive to see.
I mean, hopefully I'll get to 6. But ya never know.
I mean, hopefully I'll get to 6. But ya never know.
November 6, 2025 at 10:38 PM
If you're at the age where you're having this thought... be sure to schedule that colonoscopy!!
#getyourpoopercheckedbeforegta6
#getyourpoopercheckedbeforegta6
Friendly reminder that a game meeting or beating expectations does not necessarily mean it sold better or worse than other games. Internal financial expectations and comparative performance between titles are different things.
November 6, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Friendly reminder that a game meeting or beating expectations does not necessarily mean it sold better or worse than other games. Internal financial expectations and comparative performance between titles are different things.