George E. Osborn
@georgeosborn.bsky.social
“No, not that one”- Politico | Creator of Video Games Industry Memo | MD, Half-Space Consulting | Author of Power Play (Spring 2026) | Pun appreciator
Order my book 👉 https://linktr.ee/Power_play_book
Order my book 👉 https://linktr.ee/Power_play_book
Pinned
If someone asks me if I have any professional advice about becoming a writer, I say no.
But if someone asks me for some unprofessional advice, I've got loads.
But if someone asks me for some unprofessional advice, I've got loads.
A handful of tickets have opened up for tonight's VGIM drinks in London.
Sign up here, if you can make it along for a drink: www.tickettailor.com/events/halfs...
Sign up here, if you can make it along for a drink: www.tickettailor.com/events/halfs...
Select tickets – VGIM 2nd Birthday Drinks - Sponsored by Fifty, Renaissance PR, and The Games Rating Authority – The Craft Beer Pub
VGIM 2nd Birthday Drinks - Sponsored by Fifty, Renaissance PR, and The Games Rating Authority – The Craft Beer Pub, Wed 26 Nov 2025 - Video Games Industry Memo is celebrating its second birthday. And ...
www.tickettailor.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:48 AM
A handful of tickets have opened up for tonight's VGIM drinks in London.
Sign up here, if you can make it along for a drink: www.tickettailor.com/events/halfs...
Sign up here, if you can make it along for a drink: www.tickettailor.com/events/halfs...
Non-fiction works similarly. Unless you’ve written Atomic Habits, your earnings from a book are a lovely sideline to Everything You Must Do To Pay The Bills
almost every novelist you read who's not from the airport fiction or bestseller sections is working a full on day job, including multi-award winners and absolute legends, or they have a spouse or trust that supports them. virtually across the board. just normalize in your mind that's how it works.
I know we know this, but authors need to get better at talking about how they actually make their money. Stop pretending it's from the books.
November 26, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Non-fiction works similarly. Unless you’ve written Atomic Habits, your earnings from a book are a lovely sideline to Everything You Must Do To Pay The Bills
Does your games business want to support a media outlet doing its darnednest to reach people across the games business?
VGIM is looking for sponsors for events and the newsletter in 2026, with discounts available for paid subscribers.
Email [email protected] if you can help 🙏
VGIM is looking for sponsors for events and the newsletter in 2026, with discounts available for paid subscribers.
Email [email protected] if you can help 🙏
November 25, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Does your games business want to support a media outlet doing its darnednest to reach people across the games business?
VGIM is looking for sponsors for events and the newsletter in 2026, with discounts available for paid subscribers.
Email [email protected] if you can help 🙏
VGIM is looking for sponsors for events and the newsletter in 2026, with discounts available for paid subscribers.
Email [email protected] if you can help 🙏
I shared this yesterday. But I want to repost @chrisbratt.bsky.social's investigation into the Rockstar union-busting allegations.
What people in the business call "proper reporting" and the kind of stuff a healthy media ecosystem must support.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
What people in the business call "proper reporting" and the kind of stuff a healthy media ecosystem must support.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
The Messages Rockstar Saw Before Firing 34 Union Members
YouTube video by People Make Games
www.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:19 AM
I shared this yesterday. But I want to repost @chrisbratt.bsky.social's investigation into the Rockstar union-busting allegations.
What people in the business call "proper reporting" and the kind of stuff a healthy media ecosystem must support.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
What people in the business call "proper reporting" and the kind of stuff a healthy media ecosystem must support.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
I've finally flipped through the Roblox/New York Times interview about child safety and hoooooooo boy do I have thoughts
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/p...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/p...
We Asked Roblox’s C.E.O. About Child Safety. It Got Tense.
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:56 AM
I've finally flipped through the Roblox/New York Times interview about child safety and hoooooooo boy do I have thoughts
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/p...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/p...
Just found out that I owe myself £39 from my company.
brb, going wild this Black Friday.
brb, going wild this Black Friday.
November 25, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Just found out that I owe myself £39 from my company.
brb, going wild this Black Friday.
brb, going wild this Black Friday.
Reposted by George E. Osborn
Therapy is great. Therapy also occasionally makes everything feel like this.
November 24, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Therapy is great. Therapy also occasionally makes everything feel like this.
Eternal thanks to @jtbookspr.bsky.social for editing Power Play kindly, precisely, and effectively 🙏
By the way, it's National Editor Appreciation Day.
Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.
So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.
So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
November 24, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Eternal thanks to @jtbookspr.bsky.social for editing Power Play kindly, precisely, and effectively 🙏
Pulling out some Nice Photos of me for a thing from my Google Drive. Forgot I had this picture of me handing out an award after drinking three 8% Belgian beers.
Add it to the deck or not?
Add it to the deck or not?
November 24, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Pulling out some Nice Photos of me for a thing from my Google Drive. Forgot I had this picture of me handing out an award after drinking three 8% Belgian beers.
Add it to the deck or not?
Add it to the deck or not?
Reposted by George E. Osborn
EXCLUSIVE: So far it's been unclear what proof Rockstar Games has to justify its firing of 34 union members, who it claims were leaking "confidential information in a public forum".
PMG has now seen some of the messages which contributed to this decision being made.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
PMG has now seen some of the messages which contributed to this decision being made.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
The Messages Rockstar Saw Before Firing 34 Union Members
YouTube video by People Make Games
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:06 PM
EXCLUSIVE: So far it's been unclear what proof Rockstar Games has to justify its firing of 34 union members, who it claims were leaking "confidential information in a public forum".
PMG has now seen some of the messages which contributed to this decision being made.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
PMG has now seen some of the messages which contributed to this decision being made.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
I stuck this in the conclusion of the book, but it's interesting how children have a defined right to play and adults...don't?
I wasn't sure if I was missing something in my research, but it felt a lot like the right to play disappears in most countries when you hit adulthood. Intriguing, right?
I wasn't sure if I was missing something in my research, but it felt a lot like the right to play disappears in most countries when you hit adulthood. Intriguing, right?
Of course I would say this, but we need to talk about the moral & ideological case for play & leisure more than ever. So much political discourse - especially from the super-rich - assumes we ought to construct society around forcing citizens to spend most of their one, unrepeatable life working.
November 24, 2025 at 11:43 AM
I stuck this in the conclusion of the book, but it's interesting how children have a defined right to play and adults...don't?
I wasn't sure if I was missing something in my research, but it felt a lot like the right to play disappears in most countries when you hit adulthood. Intriguing, right?
I wasn't sure if I was missing something in my research, but it felt a lot like the right to play disappears in most countries when you hit adulthood. Intriguing, right?
Reposted by George E. Osborn
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Trump Has a Recipe for War and Corruption, Not Peace
Who would benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:11 AM
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by George E. Osborn
Easy to say after the fact but there was clearly no way Ubisoft delayed its results because of M&A. The number of people involved in a deal would mean leaks. An accounting error is easier to contain to a small circle. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Ubisoft Breached Loan Agreement After Misstating Sales
Ubisoft Entertainment SA said it’s in breach of a loan agreement after auditors told the video-game publisher to delay recognizing revenue from a recently signed partnership and forced the company to ...
www.bloomberg.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Easy to say after the fact but there was clearly no way Ubisoft delayed its results because of M&A. The number of people involved in a deal would mean leaks. An accounting error is easier to contain to a small circle. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by George E. Osborn
Yesterday's VGIM, sponsored by Testronic, summarised all the biggest financial results in the games industry (apart from Ubisoft, who were messing us about).
Catch up with all the news and the top releases this week right here: videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/video-game...
Catch up with all the news and the top releases this week right here: videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/video-game...
Video Games Finance Cheat Sheet: Autumn 2025 edition, 20/11/2025
Nintendo rakes it in, Roblox’s growth turbocharges, and Ubisoft keeps us waiting
videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Yesterday's VGIM, sponsored by Testronic, summarised all the biggest financial results in the games industry (apart from Ubisoft, who were messing us about).
Catch up with all the news and the top releases this week right here: videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/video-game...
Catch up with all the news and the top releases this week right here: videogamesindustrymemo.substack.com/p/video-game...
My important business analysis: this has been a week of prime fannying about by Ubisoft
Ubisoft confirms €1.16 billion Tencent investment in new subsidiary is 'imminent'
Ubisoft confirms €1.16 billion Tencent investment in new subsidiary is 'imminent'
The French company said the deal is 'on track to close in the coming days,' marking the start of a new era at the Assassin's Creed publisher.
www.gamedeveloper.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:57 AM
My important business analysis: this has been a week of prime fannying about by Ubisoft
Went to the Golden Joysticks.
Stole this for a photo op.
So happy right now 🥰
Stole this for a photo op.
So happy right now 🥰
November 20, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Went to the Golden Joysticks.
Stole this for a photo op.
So happy right now 🥰
Stole this for a photo op.
So happy right now 🥰
Reposted by George E. Osborn
Last week the venerable @georgeosborn.bsky.social reached out with a question submitted to this @vgim.bsky.social newsletter regarding the ethical issues surrounding the use of AI in Arc Raiders.
What started as a short one paragraph response became a 4000+ word newsletter issue.
What started as a short one paragraph response became a 4000+ word newsletter issue.
The release of Arc Raiders has raised significant concerns about the ethics of utilising generative AI in a AAA game. It’s important we understand that for whatever gains AI delivers, who is losing out, and what impact does that have on the industry?
Read on!
www.aiandgames.com/p/arc-raider...
Read on!
www.aiandgames.com/p/arc-raider...
Arc Raiders and the Ethical Use of Generative AI | 19/11/25
We discuss the issues surrounding Embark's use of AI voices
www.aiandgames.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Last week the venerable @georgeosborn.bsky.social reached out with a question submitted to this @vgim.bsky.social newsletter regarding the ethical issues surrounding the use of AI in Arc Raiders.
What started as a short one paragraph response became a 4000+ word newsletter issue.
What started as a short one paragraph response became a 4000+ word newsletter issue.
Wednesday, is it?
November 19, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Wednesday, is it?
No wonder his son-in-law felt comfortable going in on that EA deal, eh readers?
It's amazing that Bezos is just fine with this and continues to push pro-Trump propaganda anyway
November 18, 2025 at 6:40 PM
No wonder his son-in-law felt comfortable going in on that EA deal, eh readers?
I've booked myself a week off in London ahead of the festive rush.
So naturally, I've bought tickets to three of the most "man increasingly the wrong side of his mid 30s" exhibitions going: looking at Wes Anderson's archives, a talk about the moon landing with Tom Hanks and one about pirates.
So naturally, I've bought tickets to three of the most "man increasingly the wrong side of his mid 30s" exhibitions going: looking at Wes Anderson's archives, a talk about the moon landing with Tom Hanks and one about pirates.
November 18, 2025 at 2:39 PM
I've booked myself a week off in London ahead of the festive rush.
So naturally, I've bought tickets to three of the most "man increasingly the wrong side of his mid 30s" exhibitions going: looking at Wes Anderson's archives, a talk about the moon landing with Tom Hanks and one about pirates.
So naturally, I've bought tickets to three of the most "man increasingly the wrong side of his mid 30s" exhibitions going: looking at Wes Anderson's archives, a talk about the moon landing with Tom Hanks and one about pirates.
I've had to put together VGIM early this week, so if everyone in the global games industry could refrain from doing anything in the next 48 hours that'd be great
November 18, 2025 at 1:59 PM
I've had to put together VGIM early this week, so if everyone in the global games industry could refrain from doing anything in the next 48 hours that'd be great
If you want to understand the onion like nature of the problems facing the UK, this is a great place to start
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK net migration 20% lower in 2024 than first thought, ONS says
The figures also reveal migration peaked 38,000 higher than previously thought in the year to March 2023.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 1:50 PM
If you want to understand the onion like nature of the problems facing the UK, this is a great place to start
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by George E. Osborn
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
I still think the most sensible comment on all this remains @tommy.aiandgames.com arguing for the importance of distinguishing between "generative AI as an industry" and "generative AI as a technology"
"Surely there's a middle ground here?" The CEO of Helldivers 2 studio Arrowhead says people "jump to extreme takes" when debating generative AI, and that there needs to be more nuance in the discussion.
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/surely-...
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/surely-...
‘Surely there’s a middle ground here?’ Helldivers studio CEO says people ‘jump to extreme takes’ when debating GenAI | VGC
“This is such a trigger point for big parts of the games industry today”…
www.videogameschronicle.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I still think the most sensible comment on all this remains @tommy.aiandgames.com arguing for the importance of distinguishing between "generative AI as an industry" and "generative AI as a technology"