Rob Fahey

Opinion

A new approach to the skills shortage is needed | Opinion

Skillfull's report this week highlights a long-term problem that's only deepening; between layoffs and AI threats, industry careers are a harder sell than ever

April 19, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Could subscription services rescue the AA-tier game? | Opinion

The move to $70 has highlighted the games industry’s "missing middle" – the gulf between indies and premium games that was once occupied by a wealth of AA titles

April 12, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

We're in the era of the perennial game: plan accordingly | Opinion

Technological progress once swept games into the retro bin within a few years, but no longer – publishers must learn about how to support, not destroy, their older titles

April 5, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

What is the elevator pitch for a PS5 Pro? | Opinion

Without the 4K upgrade to justify its existence, Sony’s new hardware may struggle to explain itself to consumers

March 22, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Discoverability is a problem that will never be solved | Opinion

Even as digital platforms battle low-quality dreck, the bigger problem remains intractable – too many products, and not enough consumer attention to go around

March 15, 2024 Rob Fahey

News

From Epic to the EU, Apple is all about the drama | Opinion

Pulling Epic’s developer account is the latest twist in a melodrama where Apple seems content to play the villain – but the European Commission is a much more dangerous foil

March 8, 2024 Rob Fahey

News

Nintendo's Yuzu lawsuit puts emulation in the spotlight | Opinion

Few companies have been impacted by piracy as badly as Nintendo, so its litigiousness is understandable – but there are no good possible outcomes from this new legal action

March 1, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Where is the console hardware market headed? | Opinion

A Switch successor may not appear until next year and Sony may be prepping a Pro model of the PS5; after a quiet 2024, console hardware looks set for a very busy 2025

Feb. 23, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

For Sony and Microsoft, revenue growth is more important than any "console war" | Opinion

The framing of the "console war" seems less and less relevant as both companies chase bigger fish

Feb. 16, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

The "live service" model is all played out | Opinion

Players are voting with their wallets – like any other industry trend or fad, live service games have seen their moment pass; companies able to pivot away should do so fast

Feb. 9, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Genshin Impact's protesting players aren't just "entitled gamers" | Opinion

Protests against underwhelming in-game rewards should be treated as valuable feedback on a monetisation strategy gone awry, not as ingratitude or entitlement

Jan. 26, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Not everyone bows to the inevitability of subscription models | Opinion

Larian boss Swen Vincke is the latest industry figure to push back against subscription models; the growing mess in TV and movies makes clear why that perspective is important

Jan. 19, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Cyberpunk’s redemption took both hard work and uncanny luck | Opinion

The three-year path from one of the industry's most catastrophic launches to widespread acclaim is the story of a miracle, not a case study to be emulated

Jan. 12, 2024 Rob Fahey

Opinion

2023's great games were a backdrop for industry failure | Opinion

A constant tolling bell of industry layoffs defined 2023 – with job losses for thousands being in stark contrast to a stellar release schedule and record-beating acquisition numbers

Dec. 15, 2023 Rob Fahey

News

Video games in 2024: Eager anticipation, or just treading water?

With pandemic-delayed titles finally arriving in 2023, and GTA 6 not due until 2025, next year could see a slump in blockbuster games – creating opportunities for other titles

Dec. 8, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

You shall not (Game) Pass | Opinion

Microsoft's CFO reiterates a vision for Game Pass on rival consoles – but the obstacles make it a near-impossibility, and go far deeper than questions of revenue sharing

Dec. 1, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Steam stumbles on regional pricing | Opinion

Valve's new policy of using USD denominations in countries with unstable currencies will hurt consumers there – but the real target is region-spoofing consumers elsewhere

Nov. 24, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Embracing disaster | Opinion

In the absence of the low-interest economic climate that created it, the recklessness and unsustainability of Embracer Group’s aggressive acquisition strategy is laid bare

Nov. 17, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Blizzard’s Overwatch League was ambitious and doomed | Opinion

One of the most interesting experiments in esports history comes to an expensive close – with the game itself struggling, the writing was on the wall for the league

Nov. 10, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Does Sony have a long-term software strategy? | Opinion

PlayStation's studio system is world-class today – but with reports of cost-cutting and cracks showing in the expensively-acquired Bungie, there are concerns about tomorrow

Nov. 3, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Microsoft joins the publishing top table | Opinion

By adding Activision Blizzard to its existing studios, Microsoft has created a publishing behemoth – and in its financials this week, it was keen to underscore the commitment this represents to gaming

Oct. 27, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

What did Microsoft want from Starfield? | Opinion

Bethesda's latest is a bona fide hit, topping US sales charts – but for Microsoft's plan to use exclusives to drive Game Pass subscriptions, that success is a double-edged sword

Oct. 20, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Unity's crisis is much bigger than John Riccitiello | Opinion

What Unity's customers need isn't a sacrificial scalp, it's a clear plan for how the company they rely on is going to achieve financial stability

Oct. 13, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Resident Evil Village on iOS makes cases both for and against cloud streaming | Opinion

Capcom's impressive port shows once again that cloud streaming isn't required for high-end mobile gaming – but it might be the only path to commercial success

Oct. 6, 2023 Rob Fahey

Opinion

Meta's Quest 3 fires the starting gun on consumer AR devices | Opinion

Apple and Meta are betting big on augmented reality – but expectations of a revolution to rival the introduction of smartphones should be tempered

Sept. 29, 2023 Rob Fahey