Epic Decline
Epic Games announced layoffs of about 1,000 employees, primarily senior art and design staff, signaling deeper troubles for its flagship title Fortnite. The game’s active user base has plateaued, while rivals like Roblox continue to grow, and platform fees from Apple and Google have eroded billions in revenue. Rising hardware costs and a less competitive US market further strain American publishers, as Asian and European studios leverage AI to capture market share. Collectively, these trends suggest a gradual erosion of US dominance in interactive entertainment.
RAMpocalypse Comes for Steam Machine
The episode examines how soaring DRAM and NAND prices—driven by AI data‑center demand and global tariffs—are forcing Valve to delay and rethink pricing for its upcoming Steam Machine, now likely to cost $50‑$100 more than initially projected. It places this...