Video Games Industry Memo
@vgim.bsky.social
A newsletter about the business and politics behind video games.
Sign up: www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
Tips and press contact: george@videogamesindustrymemo.com
Sign up: www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
Tips and press contact: george@videogamesindustrymemo.com
What did we learn at last week's @aiandgames.com conference? Find out over on Video Games Industry Memo (and thanks to Testronic for sponsoring our fine work)
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/four-thing...
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/four-thing...
Four things we learned at this year’s AI and Games Conference, 06/11/2025
Riot’s safety-first approach to AI, Cyberpunk’s police system simplicity, and investment trends dominate the chat
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:21 AM
What did we learn at last week's @aiandgames.com conference? Find out over on Video Games Industry Memo (and thanks to Testronic for sponsoring our fine work)
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/four-thing...
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/four-thing...
Reposted by Video Games Industry Memo
The Online Safety Act came into force ages ago. So why is Ofcom issuing guidance to online games businesses now? And what does it all mean?
Read this week's @vgim.bsky.social, sponsored by Testronic, to find out.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/online-saf...
Read this week's @vgim.bsky.social, sponsored by Testronic, to find out.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/online-saf...
Online Safety Act-ing on Games, 23/10/2025
Ofcom releases long-awaited guidance for industry🗒️
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:10 AM
The Online Safety Act came into force ages ago. So why is Ofcom issuing guidance to online games businesses now? And what does it all mean?
Read this week's @vgim.bsky.social, sponsored by Testronic, to find out.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/online-saf...
Read this week's @vgim.bsky.social, sponsored by Testronic, to find out.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/online-saf...
VGIM turned two years old last month, so we're having a party to celebrate 🎉
Join us in London on Wednesday 26th November to sip, chat, and possibly eat a slice of branded birthday cake.
Thanks to Renaissance PR, Fifty, and the Games Rating Authority for sponosring.
buytickets.at/halfspacecon...
Join us in London on Wednesday 26th November to sip, chat, and possibly eat a slice of branded birthday cake.
Thanks to Renaissance PR, Fifty, and the Games Rating Authority for sponosring.
buytickets.at/halfspacecon...
October 22, 2025 at 9:01 AM
VGIM turned two years old last month, so we're having a party to celebrate 🎉
Join us in London on Wednesday 26th November to sip, chat, and possibly eat a slice of branded birthday cake.
Thanks to Renaissance PR, Fifty, and the Games Rating Authority for sponosring.
buytickets.at/halfspacecon...
Join us in London on Wednesday 26th November to sip, chat, and possibly eat a slice of branded birthday cake.
Thanks to Renaissance PR, Fifty, and the Games Rating Authority for sponosring.
buytickets.at/halfspacecon...
Read on for insights into how autocracies control narratives through games through censorship, encouraging self-censorship, and through aggressively promoting their own narratives
How are video games being used as a frontier for information war? What are democracies doing to respond to the challenge? And how are organisations like NATO grappling with the problems?
Find out in this week's @vgim.bsky.social - videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/natos-vide...
Find out in this week's @vgim.bsky.social - videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/natos-vide...
NATO’s video game frontline, 09/10/2025
It’s all gone a bit John le Carré 🕵️
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com
October 9, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Read on for insights into how autocracies control narratives through games through censorship, encouraging self-censorship, and through aggressively promoting their own narratives
Reposted by Video Games Industry Memo
If you don't already subscribe to @vgim.bsky.social then you should; today's edition is a must-read:
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/a-kushy-de...
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/a-kushy-de...
A Kushy Deal, 02/10/2025
Selling out democracy one $55bn video games business at a time
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
October 2, 2025 at 9:48 AM
If you don't already subscribe to @vgim.bsky.social then you should; today's edition is a must-read:
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/a-kushy-de...
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/a-kushy-de...
Did you catch @vitageorge.bsky.social's great piece about remakesters?
Well, why not re-view the piece at your leisure now?
*audible boos at the pun*
Well, why not re-view the piece at your leisure now?
*audible boos at the pun*
This week's @vgim.bsky.social by @vitageorge.bsky.social has a great breakdown of remake definitions. Big fan of the term 'remakesters' (i.e. Metal Gear Solid Delta) in particular.
On remaking the wheel, 18/09/2025
Diving into our decades-old gaming libraries
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
September 29, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Did you catch @vitageorge.bsky.social's great piece about remakesters?
Well, why not re-view the piece at your leisure now?
*audible boos at the pun*
Well, why not re-view the piece at your leisure now?
*audible boos at the pun*
Reposted by Video Games Industry Memo
A happy Silksong release day to those who celebrate it.
In this week's @vgim.bsky.social, @vitageorge.bsky.social explores the story behind its release and how Silksong's shadow drop has posed problems for press and devs across the games biz.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/caught-in-...
In this week's @vgim.bsky.social, @vitageorge.bsky.social explores the story behind its release and how Silksong's shadow drop has posed problems for press and devs across the games biz.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/caught-in-...
Caught in Silksong’s web, 04/09/2025
How the industry is reacting to Team Cherry’s surprise Silksong shadow drop
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com
September 4, 2025 at 8:15 AM
A happy Silksong release day to those who celebrate it.
In this week's @vgim.bsky.social, @vitageorge.bsky.social explores the story behind its release and how Silksong's shadow drop has posed problems for press and devs across the games biz.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/caught-in-...
In this week's @vgim.bsky.social, @vitageorge.bsky.social explores the story behind its release and how Silksong's shadow drop has posed problems for press and devs across the games biz.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/caught-in-...
Reposted by Video Games Industry Memo
This is an exceptionally long piece, but I've been researching the PayPro debacle and the campaign to #SaveSpeech and just how damaging the issue is to creators, players and games as culture.
Censorship is shit.
open.substack.com/pub/videogam...
Censorship is shit.
open.substack.com/pub/videogam...
No Mercy for censored games, 28/08/2025
How thousands of games with adult themes got caught in a censorship trap
open.substack.com
August 28, 2025 at 7:37 AM
This is an exceptionally long piece, but I've been researching the PayPro debacle and the campaign to #SaveSpeech and just how damaging the issue is to creators, players and games as culture.
Censorship is shit.
open.substack.com/pub/videogam...
Censorship is shit.
open.substack.com/pub/videogam...
What is the secret to gamescom’s long running success? And what’s been going down at arguably the biggest games event in the world?
@grapedosmil.bsky.social chats to the event’s bigwigs and reports from the ground for your entertainment.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/gamescoms-...
@grapedosmil.bsky.social chats to the event’s bigwigs and reports from the ground for your entertainment.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/gamescoms-...
Gamescom’s secrets to conference success, 21/08/2025
Plus: New Black Myth game, Silksong queues, and Microsoft question dodging
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com
August 21, 2025 at 9:37 AM
What is the secret to gamescom’s long running success? And what’s been going down at arguably the biggest games event in the world?
@grapedosmil.bsky.social chats to the event’s bigwigs and reports from the ground for your entertainment.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/gamescoms-...
@grapedosmil.bsky.social chats to the event’s bigwigs and reports from the ground for your entertainment.
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/gamescoms-...
Psst! Want to know the big financial results from publicly traded games businesses but don’t want to read a load of PDFs or spreadsheets?
In this week’s VGIM, sponsored by @modulate.bsky.social, @vitageorge.bsky.social analyses them all for YOU 🫵
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/game-indus...
In this week’s VGIM, sponsored by @modulate.bsky.social, @vitageorge.bsky.social analyses them all for YOU 🫵
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/game-indus...
Game Industry Finance Cheat Sheet Summer 2025 Edition, 14/08/2025
Nintendo on the march, PlayStation makes its digital fortune, and Xbox struggles to strike the right tone
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
August 15, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Psst! Want to know the big financial results from publicly traded games businesses but don’t want to read a load of PDFs or spreadsheets?
In this week’s VGIM, sponsored by @modulate.bsky.social, @vitageorge.bsky.social analyses them all for YOU 🫵
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/game-indus...
In this week’s VGIM, sponsored by @modulate.bsky.social, @vitageorge.bsky.social analyses them all for YOU 🫵
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/game-indus...
Why are there so many video game showcases? And how do the people who put them together choose the games that go into them?
@grapedosmil.bsky.social asked Chris Thomas, Jake Tucker and Dom Peppiatt for answers and, by Jove, did he get some
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/why-are-th...
@grapedosmil.bsky.social asked Chris Thomas, Jake Tucker and Dom Peppiatt for answers and, by Jove, did he get some
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/why-are-th...
Why are there so many video game showcases?, 31/07/2025
Or, why there were 30+ events with 7070 games for you to watch this Summer
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
July 31, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Why are there so many video game showcases? And how do the people who put them together choose the games that go into them?
@grapedosmil.bsky.social asked Chris Thomas, Jake Tucker and Dom Peppiatt for answers and, by Jove, did he get some
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/why-are-th...
@grapedosmil.bsky.social asked Chris Thomas, Jake Tucker and Dom Peppiatt for answers and, by Jove, did he get some
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/why-are-th...
Psst! What is a game scout looking for when they're scoping the next hit game? And how can you pitch yourself perfectly to a publishing scout?
@vitageorge.bsky.social chats with Chris Wright from @fellowtraveller.games in this week's VGIM 👇
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/the-game-s...
@vitageorge.bsky.social chats with Chris Wright from @fellowtraveller.games in this week's VGIM 👇
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/the-game-s...
The Game Scout’s Secrets, 24/07/2025
Fellow Traveller tell us how publishers discover the indie-credible
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com
July 24, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Psst! What is a game scout looking for when they're scoping the next hit game? And how can you pitch yourself perfectly to a publishing scout?
@vitageorge.bsky.social chats with Chris Wright from @fellowtraveller.games in this week's VGIM 👇
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/the-game-s...
@vitageorge.bsky.social chats with Chris Wright from @fellowtraveller.games in this week's VGIM 👇
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/the-game-s...
Did you know that you can get a month of free VGIM Insider access by sharing the newsletter with three new readers?
Go on, you know you want to 🚀
Go on, you know you want to 🚀
I'm not always a vain man, but @vgim.bsky.social is only nine subscribers away from crossing the 5,000 email subs mark.
So if you like the newsletter, think it's a great read for anyone into Those Them Video Games and could give it a share, I'd be a happy chappie.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
So if you like the newsletter, think it's a great read for anyone into Those Them Video Games and could give it a share, I'd be a happy chappie.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
Video Games Industry Memo | George E. Osborn | Substack
The business and politics powering video games. Click to read Video Games Industry Memo, by George E. Osborn, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
July 21, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Did you know that you can get a month of free VGIM Insider access by sharing the newsletter with three new readers?
Go on, you know you want to 🚀
Go on, you know you want to 🚀
Reposted by Video Games Industry Memo
This week's @vgim.bsky.social saw @vitageorge.bsky.social chat with @toadsanime.lostincult.co.uk of @lostincult.co.uk about the future of physical games in our evermore digital age.
CONTENT WARNING: very attractive game boxes contained within
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/lets-get-p...
CONTENT WARNING: very attractive game boxes contained within
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/lets-get-p...
Let’s get physical, physical (games), 17/07/2025
Lost in Cult's punt on physical games for a digital age
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com
July 17, 2025 at 9:51 AM
This week's @vgim.bsky.social saw @vitageorge.bsky.social chat with @toadsanime.lostincult.co.uk of @lostincult.co.uk about the future of physical games in our evermore digital age.
CONTENT WARNING: very attractive game boxes contained within
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/lets-get-p...
CONTENT WARNING: very attractive game boxes contained within
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/lets-get-p...
Reposted by Video Games Industry Memo
Our own @toadsanime.lostincult.co.uk chatted to @vitageorge.bsky.social for @vgim.bsky.social, discussing all things EDITIONS & physical games.
Thank you for your time and for shining a light on our work 🙏
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/lets-get-p...
Thank you for your time and for shining a light on our work 🙏
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/lets-get-p...
Let’s get physical, physical (games), 17/07/2025
Lost in Cult's punt on physical games for a digital age
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
July 17, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Our own @toadsanime.lostincult.co.uk chatted to @vitageorge.bsky.social for @vgim.bsky.social, discussing all things EDITIONS & physical games.
Thank you for your time and for shining a light on our work 🙏
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/lets-get-p...
Thank you for your time and for shining a light on our work 🙏
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/lets-get-p...
The UK has a brand new video games council to chat to Government about how to grow the industry. But who is on it and what’s it planning to do?
@georgeosborn.bsky.social chatted to it’s new co-chair to find out.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/introducin...
@georgeosborn.bsky.social chatted to it’s new co-chair to find out.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/introducin...
Introducing the UK Video Games Council, 10/07/2025
For King and Country (not the game developer, obviously)
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
July 10, 2025 at 8:27 AM
The UK has a brand new video games council to chat to Government about how to grow the industry. But who is on it and what’s it planning to do?
@georgeosborn.bsky.social chatted to it’s new co-chair to find out.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/introducin...
@georgeosborn.bsky.social chatted to it’s new co-chair to find out.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/introducin...
Reposted by Video Games Industry Memo
Another year, another fantastic @vgim.bsky.social Business Breakfast.
A big hand to @gamespress.com for sponsoring and to @ansiblecomms.com, @dandawkins.bsky.social and @mattreyn.games for the games media chat.
And a really big thank you to all the attendees - great to see you there!
A big hand to @gamespress.com for sponsoring and to @ansiblecomms.com, @dandawkins.bsky.social and @mattreyn.games for the games media chat.
And a really big thank you to all the attendees - great to see you there!
July 9, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Another year, another fantastic @vgim.bsky.social Business Breakfast.
A big hand to @gamespress.com for sponsoring and to @ansiblecomms.com, @dandawkins.bsky.social and @mattreyn.games for the games media chat.
And a really big thank you to all the attendees - great to see you there!
A big hand to @gamespress.com for sponsoring and to @ansiblecomms.com, @dandawkins.bsky.social and @mattreyn.games for the games media chat.
And a really big thank you to all the attendees - great to see you there!
Welcome to a gloriously rebranded Video Games Industry Memo.
Bask in our clean, modern and fully initialed logo, which is pronounced Vee-gym for the pedants out there.
Bask in our clean, modern and fully initialed logo, which is pronounced Vee-gym for the pedants out there.
July 8, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Welcome to a gloriously rebranded Video Games Industry Memo.
Bask in our clean, modern and fully initialed logo, which is pronounced Vee-gym for the pedants out there.
Bask in our clean, modern and fully initialed logo, which is pronounced Vee-gym for the pedants out there.
Reposted by Video Games Industry Memo
Good, pretty well balanced article. I am extremely wary of anyone in the industry being labelled an auteur for a whole host of reasons, chiefly because it simultaneously puts them on a pedestal (not everything they do is 'good') and eliminates or downplays the work of others at their studios.
Do auteurs like Hideo Kojima increase the understanding of how we make games, or obscure it?
@grapedosmil.bsky.social headed to a star studded event in London to investigate
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-kojima...
@grapedosmil.bsky.social headed to a star studded event in London to investigate
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-kojima...
July 3, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Good, pretty well balanced article. I am extremely wary of anyone in the industry being labelled an auteur for a whole host of reasons, chiefly because it simultaneously puts them on a pedestal (not everything they do is 'good') and eliminates or downplays the work of others at their studios.
Do auteurs like Hideo Kojima increase the understanding of how we make games, or obscure it?
@grapedosmil.bsky.social headed to a star studded event in London to investigate
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-kojima...
@grapedosmil.bsky.social headed to a star studded event in London to investigate
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-kojima...
July 3, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Do auteurs like Hideo Kojima increase the understanding of how we make games, or obscure it?
@grapedosmil.bsky.social headed to a star studded event in London to investigate
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-kojima...
@grapedosmil.bsky.social headed to a star studded event in London to investigate
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-kojima...
Come and join us next Wednesday, it'll be a blast
A handful of tickets have opened up for next week's VGIM Business Breakfast, sponsored by @gamespress.com.
Join me, @mattreyn.games, @ansiblecomms.com and @dandawkins.bsky.social for a chat about the future of games media AND lil pastries below 👇
www.tickettailor.com/events/halfs...
Join me, @mattreyn.games, @ansiblecomms.com and @dandawkins.bsky.social for a chat about the future of games media AND lil pastries below 👇
www.tickettailor.com/events/halfs...
Select tickets – VGIM Business Breakfast: The past, present and future of games media - Sponsored by Games Press – Loading Bar
The VGIM Business Breakfast - sponsored by Games Press - returns to Brighton on Wednesday 9th July and you're invited to come...
www.tickettailor.com
July 2, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Come and join us next Wednesday, it'll be a blast
Become a VGIM Insider for half the price of Balan's Wonderworld at launch.
You can't beat that value!
You can't beat that value!
You there! I'm running a half-price summer sale for Video Games Industry Memo.
Get extra content, first dibs on event tickets and 10% off everything we sell - including ads and sponsorships - for just £25 a year OR £3 a month using the code below 👇
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/e960ca3e
Get extra content, first dibs on event tickets and 10% off everything we sell - including ads and sponsorships - for just £25 a year OR £3 a month using the code below 👇
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/e960ca3e
Subscribe to Video Games Industry Memo
The business and politics powering video games. Click to read Video Games Industry Memo, by George E. Osborn, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
June 30, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Become a VGIM Insider for half the price of Balan's Wonderworld at launch.
You can't beat that value!
You can't beat that value!
What’s going on with games leadership? And could improvements at the top stop cuts at the bottom?
@vitageorge.bsky.social interviews Mel Phillips of Games Leadership fame to get to the bottom of things: www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/from-leade...
@vitageorge.bsky.social interviews Mel Phillips of Games Leadership fame to get to the bottom of things: www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/from-leade...
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
June 26, 2025 at 8:05 AM
What’s going on with games leadership? And could improvements at the top stop cuts at the bottom?
@vitageorge.bsky.social interviews Mel Phillips of Games Leadership fame to get to the bottom of things: www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/from-leade...
@vitageorge.bsky.social interviews Mel Phillips of Games Leadership fame to get to the bottom of things: www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/from-leade...
Please say a hearty hello to @vitageorge.bsky.social, who is writing their first edition of VGIM later this week.
George is a top-notch journalist who has written about games for ESPN, NME, IGN and other non-abbreviated publications.
Give them a follow ahead of this Thursday's newsletter 🤝
George is a top-notch journalist who has written about games for ESPN, NME, IGN and other non-abbreviated publications.
Give them a follow ahead of this Thursday's newsletter 🤝
June 23, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Please say a hearty hello to @vitageorge.bsky.social, who is writing their first edition of VGIM later this week.
George is a top-notch journalist who has written about games for ESPN, NME, IGN and other non-abbreviated publications.
Give them a follow ahead of this Thursday's newsletter 🤝
George is a top-notch journalist who has written about games for ESPN, NME, IGN and other non-abbreviated publications.
Give them a follow ahead of this Thursday's newsletter 🤝
Is the Esports World Cup in Riyadh a serious tournament or soft power play?
This week’s VGIM argues it is both - which is exactly why it’s such a problem for the industry to grapple with.
Read on below 👇
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-esport...
This week’s VGIM argues it is both - which is exactly why it’s such a problem for the industry to grapple with.
Read on below 👇
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-esport...
The Esports World Cup: serious tournament or soft power play?, 19/06/2025
A little from Column A, a little from Column B
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
June 19, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Is the Esports World Cup in Riyadh a serious tournament or soft power play?
This week’s VGIM argues it is both - which is exactly why it’s such a problem for the industry to grapple with.
Read on below 👇
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-esport...
This week’s VGIM argues it is both - which is exactly why it’s such a problem for the industry to grapple with.
Read on below 👇
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-esport...