NerdPropellant
@nerdpropellant.bsky.social
Physics prof, edtech connoisseur, seller of nerdy gaming swag
I take it you don't work much with AI?
November 9, 2025 at 9:17 PM
I take it you don't work much with AI?
You can train AI to find things like misaligned geometry or jumps that are awkwardly too far/high, etc. Tons of QA involves just brute forcing super tedious actions to see where the code breaks and cataloging that. QA also doesn't generally handle what is fun or not btw. That's for play testers.
November 6, 2025 at 7:42 PM
You can train AI to find things like misaligned geometry or jumps that are awkwardly too far/high, etc. Tons of QA involves just brute forcing super tedious actions to see where the code breaks and cataloging that. QA also doesn't generally handle what is fun or not btw. That's for play testers.
All good stuff here.
October 28, 2025 at 10:59 PM
All good stuff here.
Xbox made the decision to dial back console sales bc of profit margins targets. When they made that call, they were outselling PS5 for 6 months prior.
The narrative you are trying to reinforce just is not reality.
The narrative you are trying to reinforce just is not reality.
July 31, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Xbox made the decision to dial back console sales bc of profit margins targets. When they made that call, they were outselling PS5 for 6 months prior.
The narrative you are trying to reinforce just is not reality.
The narrative you are trying to reinforce just is not reality.
You think internal emails are designed to sugarcoat whatever you think is really happening? Do you hear yourself right now? That makes absolutely zero sense.
Console sales were down since Xbox announced they were buying ABK. In 2022.
Console sales were down since Xbox announced they were buying ABK. In 2022.
July 31, 2025 at 7:05 PM
You think internal emails are designed to sugarcoat whatever you think is really happening? Do you hear yourself right now? That makes absolutely zero sense.
Console sales were down since Xbox announced they were buying ABK. In 2022.
Console sales were down since Xbox announced they were buying ABK. In 2022.
Are you going to also claim internal emails are 'PR' next?
July 31, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Are you going to also claim internal emails are 'PR' next?
I've no idea what I said you imagine to be PR jargon. We literally have internal emails where Phil Spencer talks about them constraining console supply to hit profit margins targets placed on them by Amy Hood. He notes they did it multiple times even.
July 31, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I've no idea what I said you imagine to be PR jargon. We literally have internal emails where Phil Spencer talks about them constraining console supply to hit profit margins targets placed on them by Amy Hood. He notes they did it multiple times even.
Since Series consoles sell at a steep loss ($100-$200 depending on the model, as of when they decided to stop shipping at scale), erasing those sales (losses) from your books is a huge win for the margins target progress. That's why their console sales fell off a cliff. Not due to demand.
July 30, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Since Series consoles sell at a steep loss ($100-$200 depending on the model, as of when they decided to stop shipping at scale), erasing those sales (losses) from your books is a huge win for the margins target progress. That's why their console sales fell off a cliff. Not due to demand.
They deliberately slowed shipping units after June '22 bc buying ABK means they needed to meet aggressive margins targets from Amy Hood. When the business is so big it materially impacts MS Corp cash flows, you need margins to align w/other MS segments else the overall profit margins decline for MS.
July 30, 2025 at 8:37 PM
They deliberately slowed shipping units after June '22 bc buying ABK means they needed to meet aggressive margins targets from Amy Hood. When the business is so big it materially impacts MS Corp cash flows, you need margins to align w/other MS segments else the overall profit margins decline for MS.
2025 Year-to-Date Top 20 Best-Selling Premium Games - U.S. (Dollar Sales, Physical and Digital from digital data sharing publishers, excludes add-on content)
July 30, 2025 at 8:33 AM
'Who the hell is Circana?'
July 30, 2025 at 8:29 AM
'Who the hell is Circana?'
Wonder at what point we see ppl stop blaming Game Pass for these consumer behaviors and instead, oh I dunno, accept that things change? F2P GaaS and black hole games shape how consumers behave and companies gotta move on top of that landscape.
July 29, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Wonder at what point we see ppl stop blaming Game Pass for these consumer behaviors and instead, oh I dunno, accept that things change? F2P GaaS and black hole games shape how consumers behave and companies gotta move on top of that landscape.
When I hear ppl whine about Xbox's next gen approach (PC/console hybrid) and how it's not a 'traditional console' I legit cannot grasp their pov. I remember as a kid being excited with new consoles *because* they were different and offered something to light my imagination up. Now they are so samey.
July 29, 2025 at 5:10 PM
When I hear ppl whine about Xbox's next gen approach (PC/console hybrid) and how it's not a 'traditional console' I legit cannot grasp their pov. I remember as a kid being excited with new consoles *because* they were different and offered something to light my imagination up. Now they are so samey.
In the past you had noted there was a big spike driven by GP sub upticks. Are the YoY gains in recent months also fairly described as driven by GP sub uptick? +29% YoY seems gigantic for this segment. Appreciate the various info.
July 11, 2025 at 1:09 AM
In the past you had noted there was a big spike driven by GP sub upticks. Are the YoY gains in recent months also fairly described as driven by GP sub uptick? +29% YoY seems gigantic for this segment. Appreciate the various info.
I like it. It rhymes so it must be wisdom.
May 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
I like it. It rhymes so it must be wisdom.
TONS of us GP subs do yeah. It usually lets us play early and get DLC bundled in. It's a great option tbh. Not happy about $80 games since it makes everyone else behave as if their games need to be $80 to be 'premium experiences' too.
May 3, 2025 at 6:59 PM
TONS of us GP subs do yeah. It usually lets us play early and get DLC bundled in. It's a great option tbh. Not happy about $80 games since it makes everyone else behave as if their games need to be $80 to be 'premium experiences' too.
Same reason they pay $70 for some of these games...i.e. your personal appraisal of their quality is not shared by the vast majority of consumers actually playing them.
Reminder: Xbox has half a *billion* gamers choosing to spend their time and money playing their games each month.
Reminder: Xbox has half a *billion* gamers choosing to spend their time and money playing their games each month.
May 2, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Same reason they pay $70 for some of these games...i.e. your personal appraisal of their quality is not shared by the vast majority of consumers actually playing them.
Reminder: Xbox has half a *billion* gamers choosing to spend their time and money playing their games each month.
Reminder: Xbox has half a *billion* gamers choosing to spend their time and money playing their games each month.
Cheers! /swigs
(see? the grogball works!) :p
(see? the grogball works!) :p
April 10, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Cheers! /swigs
(see? the grogball works!) :p
(see? the grogball works!) :p
Reposted by NerdPropellant
Ummm. I mean... it lights up!
Made by: @nerdpropellant.bsky.social
Made by: @nerdpropellant.bsky.social
April 6, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Ummm. I mean... it lights up!
Made by: @nerdpropellant.bsky.social
Made by: @nerdpropellant.bsky.social
Would be curious what big budget means here bc I'd assume(?) you mean SoM which is not close to big budget. Though it'd be quite the compliment for that team no doubt!
March 29, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Would be curious what big budget means here bc I'd assume(?) you mean SoM which is not close to big budget. Though it'd be quite the compliment for that team no doubt!