Ahri's unqualified thoughts #61

Easy to consume content: 1 quote, 1 tweet/storm and 1 article/video.

In this edition, we're focusing on gaming industry lay-offs and an article about the Golden Joystick Awards.

1 quote

“A flow of words is a sure sign of duplicity.” Honore de Balzac

1 tweet/storm

APZonerunner (who owns RPGsite is someone you should follow for all JPRG & RPG things!) and Twitter user rim_aj have pointed out that this year has been disastrous for employees in the gaming industry, with 7,100 layoffs, most likely not including the recent 900 from Embracer.

Despite the outstanding quality of games released (Baldur’s Gate 3, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Street Fighter 6, Zelda Tears of Kingdom, Super Mario Wonder etc.), the industry faces its harshest year in terms of job cuts. This situation raises questions about various issues: the flaws of capitalism, the relentless pursuit of continuous growth, possible overstaffing during the post-Covid period, and lingering operational inefficiencies from the pandemic. It appears to be a combination of these factors, if you ask my tiny brain.

The tech, gaming, esports and crypto sectors are all experiencing a severe wave of layoffs, even as some companies record unprecedented profits (well, while others struggle to achieve their goals). My message to everyone affected is to remain resilient and hopeful for a resolution to these challenging times - keep learning, and keep honing your skills.

1 article/video

Larian Studios emerged as the main winner at this year's TRUE game awards, also known as the "Golden Joystick," winning seven awards. I half-jokingly prefer these awards over The Game Awards, which I'm too fond of, for many reasons, among them is that I perceive it more as an overtly expensive advertisement show, rather than a gaming celebration.

Expect a shitshow in early December when The Game Awards take place. It has already begun with the announcement of the nominees. For a glimpse into this parallel world, you might want to look up “Starfield + Game Awards/TGA” on Twitter.

As for my personal game of the year, it's challenging to pinpoint since I haven't played many games (but I’m catching-up right now). However, my top choices would be:

• Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

• Sea of Stars

• Persona 5 Royal (not released this year, but who cares)

• World of Warcraft: Dragonflight

Here is the full list of Golden Joystick winners: