Stuff Worth Knowing for the Week of September 26, 2022
The death of Google Stadia, Amazon hardware, Netflix's new gaming studio, and more.
Welcome to the first release of Stuff Worth Knowing! This newsletter — yes, it's an actual newsletter, not a blog that is sent over email — is all about bringing you all the news about entertainment that you might have missed. Each week, I'll round up news related to tech, video games, film, television, anime, and more.
There's a lot that happens each week that we have to sift through together. I'm going to try and avoid things like random release dates and internecine drama unless the thing involved is so big that it becomes worth talking about. Instead, I'll try to talk about meaningful announcements, important quotes, and new products and platforms that might make an impact. I'll also attempt to link to either the original source of information or the best source I could find.
At the end of each newsletter, there will be a section called On The Calendar, which will include some of those notable dates that are near-term. There will also be a separate newsletter called ChartChitChat, where I'll take a look at the various weekly charts, including the box office, Nielsen television charts, Netflix’s Top 10 charts, and the Steam charts.
Finally, I will be starting an adjoining Patreon very soon, which will include essays on various topics, the text of this newsletter, and eventually… YouTube content. (I'm moving right now. So I'm busy!) So if you want me from me than just the newsletter, you can subscribe there once that goes live.
Without further ado, let's get into the news. Also, if you’re reading this over email, it’s actually too long. Click through to read the whole thing.
Tech ⌨️
It was a big week in terms of tech. Amazon had a showcase of new products coming later this year, while Google talked about app and search upgrades while teasing its upcoming Pixel 7 launch event. We also got some reviews of the new processors from Intel and AMD, giving us a real-world idea of what each platform might be capable of.
Amazon Showcases Kindle Scribe, Fire TVs, and New Echo Devices:
On Wednesday, Amazon broadcast its annual hardware event. The showcase offered some expected updates to everything across Amazon's product line, with Wired having a great round-up of everything announced. There were a few interesting items buried within the event.
The first item is the Kindle Scribe, the brand-new top-end of the Kindle product line. It's a larger device that sits above the Paperwhite and Voyage, with note-taking as the primary driver. Starting at $340 for the 16GB, the Scribe sports a large 10.2-inch 300 PPI e-ink screen and comes with the Basic Pen, which allows you to write or draw in the note-taking app, sticky notes in Kindle e-books, or PDFs. For $30 more, you can pick up the Premium Pen instead, which includes a dedicated eraser and shortcut button.
Why It's Worth Knowing: The Kindle has been a dead-end device for some time now. Even avid users haven't really had a reason to upgrade, outside of the addition of USB-C. This pushes the Kindle into a new category, one currently only covered by smaller companies like Remarkable. It remains to be seen how fast the device will be, but there is at least a path forward.
The second interesting announcement is the continuation of last year's Fire TV Omni line. This Fall, Amazon will be adding two new models with 4K QLED screens. The 65-inch model will cost $800, while the 75-inch model will cost $1,100. Both sets will feature Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+, and Alexa support.
Why It's Worth Knowing: Will these be the best TVs on the market, taking in all the accolades? Probably not. But the question I have for you is: How many Amazon Basics items do you buy from Amazon? Amazon Fire TV Omni isn't about having the best sets, it's about having good enough TV sets that sit high on Amazon when users search for a modern TV. A good enough product that also includes Alexa support and Fire TV software. Amazon makes some money on the set, but also gets you into the ecosystem if you're not already there.
Intel Launching 13th-Gen "Raptor Lake" CPUs on October 20
It's that wonderful time of year when Intel and AMD unleash their latest and greatest, trying to compete for the crown in your latest PC build. This week, Intel announced three CPUs based on its "Raptor Lake" architecture: the Core i9-13900K, Core i7-13700K, and Core i5-13600K. More cores, improved clockspeeds, and the all-new Z790 motherboards to socket these suckers into.
The pricing breakdowns for the processors, with the KF models being the K models without integrated graphics:
Core i9-13900K/KF - $589/$564
Core i7-13700K/KF - $409/$384
Core i5-13600K/KF - $319/$294
AMD Releases Ryzen 7000 CPUs Into the Wild
Likewise, AMD has launched its opening salvo with its Ryzen 7000 CPUs and the all-new AM5 socket motherboards. The new chips are based on AMD's Zen 4 architecture, which promises some optimizations of the previous Zen 3. The new motherboards increase the power delivery to the CPUs, but that's more future proofing, rather than necessary for what's dropping on store shelves.
Unlike Intel's offerings, AMD's chips are available right now. They released on September 27. The full lineup includes:
Ryzen 9 7950X - $699
Ryzen 9 7900X - $549
Ryzen 7 7700X - $399
Ryzen 5 7600X - $299
This puts AMD above and below the Intel chips in terms of price. What about performance? Well gaming folks should check out the full review of the 7900X and 7600X from Digital Foundry, but it's a bit early for the full head-to-head between both sets of chips.
Meta Brings Up Hiring Freezes Again, Hints At a "Smaller Organization"
According to original reporting by Bloomberg, backed up by The Verge, it seems the good times are waning for Meta. The company has been spending a ton to find the platform of the future, the thing that will come after Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more. Most of this effort has been focused on Reality Labs, where Meta plays around with virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse. The problem is Reality Labs lost $2.8 billion in the second quarter of 2022. Research is expensive, but most businesses don't want to spend into the hole forever.
As we settled into the COVID pandemic, Meta was spending hard on acquiring talent, with big salaries, big bonuses, and flexible benefits. Rounding the curve into 2022, it became clear that Zuckerberg couldn't spend his way into success, at least not without significant losses. Comments made by the CEO in June noted that growth was slow overall and the company was going to have to "turn up the heat" on current employees.
Why It's Worth Knowing: The latest reports have Zuckerberg talking about the potential of a "smaller organization" in 2023. This means moving beyond hiring freezes into layoffs. I wouldn't be surprised if the earlier comments were the beginning of Meta checking employee efficiency and value for these layoffs early next year. Also, when times are lean, businesses look for more blood from the stone: expect Meta to try more micropayments or subscriptions across its brands.
Video Games 🎮
Google Stadia is Dead…
Google has finally shuttered Google Stadia, its cloud streaming gaming platform. While the end felt like it was inevitable, the speed with which the company shuttered things was alarming. Apparently, employees only found out hours before the public did and developers who were planning upcoming Stadia launches didn't find out until the news had dropped. Gamesindustry.biz has a further feature on developers' concerns over the quick closure.
The streaming service will be live until January 18, 2023 and Google will be refunding any Stadia purchases made. The Stadia store is gone, so new purchases can't be made in the meantime.
Why It's Worth Knowing: Honestly, this is another closing in the style of Google's other foolishness. The technology will continue on in some form and full refunds are the best way to close Stadia down, but it continues Google's tendency to start apps and platforms only to dispose of them without mercy. It destroys trust; why join a new platform if you feel it's not going to be there in a few years? That the Google Graveyard meme exists is a long-term problem for the company.
…But, Razer and Logitech Are Launching Cloud-Based Handhelds
While Google is out, it seems that Logitech and Razer still believe in the cloud. Logitech started things off with the Logitech G Cloud, a $350 device that allows you to play games from existing streaming options like Nvidia GeForce Now, Steam Link, and Xbox Cloud Gaming Beta. That's coming on October 17 and you can pre-order it right now.
Razer followed that a few days later with the announcement of the Razer Edge 5G. This handheld was made in collaboration with Verizon and Qualcomm, and will feature the new Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 SoC. Outside of that, we don't know much else, as all three companies are saving the details until RazerCon on October 15.
Both companies seem to believe there's a space for such devices. I'm not seeing a huge draw for a $350 device that simply streams games. Especially not when we're seeing portables like the Ayaneo Air Plus and Ayn Loki Zero in the same price range.
E3 is Returning in 2023, With a New Gamescom-Style Operation
After a bit of time in recovery, it seems the premier gaming event in North America is making a comeback. E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) is returning to a physical event in 2023, with a return to the Los Angeles Convention Center on June 13-16. E3 has needed some rehab and refocusing, something the event is getting with ReedPop in the driver's seat this time. ReedPop is the company behind events like Star Wars Celebration, New York Comic Con, and EGX.
The real change here is E3 is adopting a similar operation as Gamescom, its European counterpart. First, half of the convention center will be business-only for the entire event. Second, the other half will be business-only for the first two days, allowing consumers in for the latter two days. The event organizers are going to also try and do more outreach, to bring other events during E3 week under its umbrella, while still allowing them to stay separate.
Why It's Worth Knowing: For a long time, E3 was the destination for your legendary gaming pilgrimage. The show lost a lot of that cachet as other events like PAX and Gamescom grew in size and scale. In a bid to reach consumers, it sort of misunderstood why events like PAX, EGX, and Gamescom are good for that audience. The split should help E3 keep what it does best — business — while also catering to consumers.
Netflix is Establishing Its Own Game Studio
Netflix really believes that gaming is the next space for expansion of its platform. The streaming service has seemingly found most of the folks worldwide who are willing to sign up, so it's turning to gaming for future revenue. Netflix has already purchased a number of smaller indie studios, including Next Games, Boss Fight Entertainment, and Night School Studio. But it has bigger plans, starting with a brand-new studio in Helsinki, Finland.
"It’s still early days, and we have much more work to do to deliver a great games experience on Netflix. Creating a game can take years, so I’m proud to see how we’re steadily building the foundation of our games studios in our first year, and look forward to sharing what we produce in the coming years," said Netflix VP of Game Studios Amir Rahimi.
Given that time table, it's likely that any game from this studio might be a bit larger than the games Netflix has gotten through acquisition. "Years" points to something bigger, closer to AAA development.
Why It's Worth Knowing: Netflix continues to dominate SVOD (subscription video-on-demand). The potential benefit of being the streaming video juggernaut is being able to put your games directly in front of the 220.67 million subscribers you have. It remains to be seen whether Netflix can convince users to make that jump. The company just rolled out the ability to create unique handles for gaming, so we're talking baby steps overall.
Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group is Investing $37 Billion in Gaming
Saudi Arabia has a ton of money to play with and it's been aiming to grow its footprint in video games. Through its Savvy Games Group, whose Chairman of the Board is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the nation is looking to make Saudi Arabia "the ultimate global hub for the games and esports sector by 2030."
The amount of total planned investment is SAR 142 billion ($37.8 billion USD), split across four tracks. SAR 50 billion ($13.3 billion) is set aside for acquiring "a leading game publisher," SAR 70 billion ($18.6 billion) is for minority stakes in other companies, and SAR 20 billion ($5.3 billion) for industry partnerships. The last bit is earmarked for early-stage games and esports companies.
The nation has already invested heavily in SNK with a 96% ownership stake. Alongside that, its made a 5% stake in Nintendo, minority stakes in Capcom and Nexon, and a billion dollar stake in The Embracer Group, everyone's favorite European acquisition juggernaut.
Why It's Worth Knowing: This is all a part of a larger conversation that's difficult to have. Saudi Arabia has a significant problem with human rights violations, including the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the suppression of women and LGBTQ citizens and activists, and the war in Yemen. But folks around the world can also point to similar issues and violations from countries like the United States and China, who also invest heavily in games and tech.
The other issue is the connections between many of these companies are all twisted together. Take the investments I mentioned above; you can't really talk about Embracer Group acquisitions without noting that stake, nor talk about Ubisoft or FromSoftware without acknowledging that Tencent has purchased a stake in both. The money is flowing free in every direction and your favorite developers and publishers are open to taking that money, regardless of where it comes from.
So I don't have any easy answers here. Sorry.
Intel Gets Into the GPU Game on October 12 with Arc A770 and A750 GPUs
I put this in the gaming category because that's a primary driver of graphics cards sales. In addition to its new Raptor Lake CPUs, Intel is finally launching its Arc desktop graphics cards. These cards will see the chip maker stepping into a new space to compete with AMD and Nvidia. The play here is offering bang-for-your-buck; while Nvidia has gone higher in pricing, and AMD hits the mid-range, Intel is trying to carve out space on the lower-end.
The cards being released on October 12 include:
A770 - $329
A750 - $289
The company is claiming that the A770 should give you better performance per dollar than Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3060. Of course, that card released in 2021 and was on the lower end of Nvidia's offerings. We'll have to wait to see if those claims bear fruit. The big issue is that AMD and Nvidia's drivers have much better support, being known quantities from existing manufacturers. Intel is just getting into the graphics space with Arc, so the driver issue could pop up.
GAMURS Group Acquires Enthusiast Gaming's Websites
There were rumblings about this earlier in the week, notably from the Jacob Wolf Report. Gamurs Groups, the media company behind Dot Esports, Gamepur, Prima Games, Twinfinite, The Mary Sue, and We Got This Covered, is increasing its portfolio of media sites. The pickups are coming from Enthusiast Gaming, who owns sites like Destructoid, Escapist Magazine, Siliconera, PC Invasion, Upcomer, and Operation Sports.
The acquisition increases Gamur's total audience to 55 million monthly users, according to the company's official announcement. What is a bit worrying in terms of acquisitions are the overlaps in terms of coverage. Destructoid, Gamepur, and Twinfinite have very similar offerings; if Gamurs decides to consolidation, I feel like that's where it would start. That's potentially a ways down the line, but it's something I'd keep in the back of my mind if I were working at one of these sites.
BlazBlue Creator Leaves Arc System Works
BlazBlue creator Toshimichi Mori has decided to part ways with Arc System Works after 19 years at the company. Mori joined the studio after contributing to the development of Guilty Gear X, before later starting his own fighting game series within the company. According to a translation of his announcement by Gematsu, Mori is looking to make another title. "At the moment I’m thinking of creating and delivering a game for the users in some way, and am going to focus my strength on that endeavor. Your support would be much appreciated," he stated.
This leaves BlazBlue in a lurch, but gives a veteran creator the chance to work on something new and potentially profit more from its success. It'll be interesting to see where he lands; I'm wondering if perhaps he's been picked up by Netease, who has been making a run at Japanese creators recently.
Film, Television, and Streaming 🎞️
Trevor Noah Leaves The Daily Show
After seven years, the young host of The Daily Show is leaving. When Jon Stewart decided to leave the comedy news program in 2015, his replacement was Noah, a comedian who had just become a contributor to the show four months prior. There's no official timetable for Noah's departure and he announced the news during a taping of the show on Thursday.
Personally, Noah's tenure has been somewhat uneven. It feels like he didn't get a chance to really make his stamp on The Daily Show until the pandemic hit; he certainly seemed more natural since that shift. The program never really gave him the chance to do a complete teardown and rethink, meaning a lot of it was tuned to Stewart's rhythms and timing. Hopefully, the next host gets that chance.
Still, The Daily Show remains a staple of a shrinking set of late-night television shows, so the changing of the guard is important.
Warner Bros Discovery CEO Says Company Is Not For Sale
Warner Bros Discovery has been on a tear lately, cutting shows, films, and employees in order to draw down on its $56 billion in debt. A report on media site Puck pointed to the cost-cutting as a way of making a leaner organization for a potential merger with Comcast's NBCUniversal. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts has apparently been pushing for the deal behind the scenes. Warner Bros Discovery would have to wait for a few years to make such a merger, but Discovery shareholder John Malone pointed to Roberts' desire to pick up WarnerMedia back in 2021.
At a global town hall, Zaslav shot down rumors of a potential merger. According to a report by THR, Zaslav said that WBD is "absolutely not for sale." Instead, he and his new executive team are focused on being a "pure play content company," which includes licensing WBD projects to other streaming services. Of course, even if a deal was in the works behind the scenes, it's years off, so it would make sense for Zaslav to downplay any future merger.
Lionsgate Is Looking Into Spinning Off Its Studio Business
Lionsgate is one of the smaller entities remaining in Hollywood at the moment. It produces a bunch of independent drama and genre films, including franchises like John Wick, The Hunger Games, and Saw. Recent Lionsgate films include Bodies Bodies Bodies, Clerks III, and Prey for the Devil. Like Sony, Lionsgate makes a good bit of coin selling its projects to other services like Netflix or HBO Max.
Lionsgate has been looking to spin-off Starz, its television and streaming business, but now it sounds like its movie studio side could be spun off as well. "As negotiations progress we have increased our focus on the possibility of spinning our studio business, creating a number of financial and strategic benefits," said the company in an SEC filing.
Why It's Worth Knowing: Hollywood consolidation continues and Lionsgate's portfolio has a lot of variety. The John Wick franchise has two sequels, a spinoff film, and a television show incoming, and The Hunger Games is continuing with an upcoming prequel film. Lionsgate is well-worth a pickup for any company that wants to fill out its media library. Amazon and Apple could pick it up, or it could merge with an entity of similar size.
Oh, and Starz is becoming Lionsgate+ outside of the US, similar to Epix becoming MGM+. Disney+ feels like a sea change for these companies in terms of naming. Shame they're not doing something more interesting, even if the "+" does communicate a lot very quickly.
Superhero Watch: Blade and Armor Wars
I feel like this news is important as superhero films tend to dominate the box office and culture in general, but the news isn't always worth its own item. Superhero Watch is a good catch-all for those items.
This week, Blade loses its director, Bassam Tariq, months before the film was supposed to start shooting for a planned November 3, 2023 release. That means Marvel Studios will probably have to delay the production and search for a director that can take over pre-production work already done. Or alternatively, start over from scratch.
At the same time, Armor Wars, the Don Cheadle-starring series planned for Disney+ is making the move to the big screen. Marvel Studios has decided that the story works better as a film. Armor Wars has a star and a writer, Yassir Lester, but it's lacking a director or supporting cast. Armor Wars' delays means that it can't go in the spot vacated by Blade. Starting in 2023 would point to a release in 2025 and Marvel does have a February 14, 2025 date ahead of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
On The Calendar 📅
Here's the interesting stuff that's coming over the next week or so.
Made By Google (Google Pixel 7 Reveal) - October 6, 10AM ET / 7AM PT
Steam Next Fest (Demos and Deals on Steam) - October 3-10