Mat Piscatella
@matpiscatella.bsky.social
Senior Director and Video Game Industry Advisor at Circana. Formerly of Activision and Warner Bros Games. I helped get one of your favorite games greenlit.
Pinned
Upcoming U.S. video game market results from Circana:
Coverage Month - Public Release Date
Dec (Nov 30 - Jan 3) - Jan 22
Jan (Jan 4 - Jan 31) - Feb 20
Feb (Feb 1 - Feb 28) - Mar 18
Mar (Mar 1 - Apr 4) - Apr 22
Apr (Apr 5 - May 2) - May 20
Digital Data Sharing Participating Publishers:
Coverage Month - Public Release Date
Dec (Nov 30 - Jan 3) - Jan 22
Jan (Jan 4 - Jan 31) - Feb 20
Feb (Feb 1 - Feb 28) - Mar 18
Mar (Mar 1 - Apr 4) - Apr 22
Apr (Apr 5 - May 2) - May 20
Digital Data Sharing Participating Publishers:
"The company has informed some users in the UK they may be part of "an experiment" with Persona, an age verification vendor whose investors include Peter Thiel, co-founder of ICE's premier surveillance provider, Palantir."
Cool cool cool coolcool
Cool cool cool coolcool
"Impossibly, despite its attempts to pacify the ensuing outcry by issuing a clarification that merely some users will be required to submit to its child detection matrix, Discord has managed to make the rollout of its global age assurance policy seem even grimier."
Oh, good: Discord's age verification rollout has ties to Palantir co-founder and panopticon architect Peter Thiel
Discord is "experimenting" with an age authentication vendor whose major investors include Thiel's Founders Fund.
www.pcgamer.com
February 13, 2026 at 11:22 PM
"The company has informed some users in the UK they may be part of "an experiment" with Persona, an age verification vendor whose investors include Peter Thiel, co-founder of ICE's premier surveillance provider, Palantir."
Cool cool cool coolcool
Cool cool cool coolcool
Only way to get a game greenlit, unfortunately.
February 13, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Only way to get a game greenlit, unfortunately.
Wasn't far off tbh
February 13, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Wasn't far off tbh
It really doesn't.
February 13, 2026 at 8:45 PM
It really doesn't.
Muting this before the weirdos find it.
February 13, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Muting this before the weirdos find it.
Anyways the placement at TGA's got them the trial. Just couldn't retain. That's on the game, not the placement at TGA. But, always easier to point the finger externally when looking for something to blame. Tale as old as time.
February 13, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Anyways the placement at TGA's got them the trial. Just couldn't retain. That's on the game, not the placement at TGA. But, always easier to point the finger externally when looking for something to blame. Tale as old as time.
What are *we* even doing here. Bah.
February 13, 2026 at 8:07 PM
What are *we* even doing here. Bah.
Did it fall off quickly? Absolutely.
Was the team not vetting the game enough with external evals and mocks? Maybe.
But... this is what a successful launch can achieve in engagement in this market.
It's all quite grim.
Was the team not vetting the game enough with external evals and mocks? Maybe.
But... this is what a successful launch can achieve in engagement in this market.
It's all quite grim.
February 13, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Did it fall off quickly? Absolutely.
Was the team not vetting the game enough with external evals and mocks? Maybe.
But... this is what a successful launch can achieve in engagement in this market.
It's all quite grim.
Was the team not vetting the game enough with external evals and mocks? Maybe.
But... this is what a successful launch can achieve in engagement in this market.
It's all quite grim.
This is exactly what I was trying to say earlier this week.
When looking purely at launch engagement Highguard did as well or better than any game like it can reasonably be expected to reach.
If Highguard's launch couldn't even buy the team a month to figure it out what are even doing here.
When looking purely at launch engagement Highguard did as well or better than any game like it can reasonably be expected to reach.
If Highguard's launch couldn't even buy the team a month to figure it out what are even doing here.
Unsure if my mildly provocative headline here perfectly communicates my point, but my intent is just to dislodge the idea that the baseline level of success a new FPS can expect is anything more than what Highguard has seen. Budget and time-spent don't seem to change the equation.
Highguard didn't flop
Most games aren't massive hits, but publishers, developers, and investors remain exceedingly hopeful that they'll be the exception.
www.pcgamer.com
February 13, 2026 at 8:04 PM
This is exactly what I was trying to say earlier this week.
When looking purely at launch engagement Highguard did as well or better than any game like it can reasonably be expected to reach.
If Highguard's launch couldn't even buy the team a month to figure it out what are even doing here.
When looking purely at launch engagement Highguard did as well or better than any game like it can reasonably be expected to reach.
If Highguard's launch couldn't even buy the team a month to figure it out what are even doing here.
Oh that one I have. I thought you were talking about Pro Baseball Spirits. Got confuzzed.
February 13, 2026 at 7:14 PM
Oh that one I have. I thought you were talking about Pro Baseball Spirits. Got confuzzed.
No, but it sure would be cool if it were available digitally on the ps store
February 13, 2026 at 7:06 PM
No, but it sure would be cool if it were available digitally on the ps store
Almost everything I've seen for MLB The Show 26 has bummed me out and I just want a fun new baseball game.
February 13, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Almost everything I've seen for MLB The Show 26 has bummed me out and I just want a fun new baseball game.
Where the hell is a new Mario Super Sluggers
February 13, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Where the hell is a new Mario Super Sluggers
Oh no. Well, guess I'll give it a go and see how far my decrepit hand eye coordination can take me.
February 13, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Oh no. Well, guess I'll give it a go and see how far my decrepit hand eye coordination can take me.
Not sure when I bought Kena: Bridge of Spirits but it was there in the library so now I guess I'm playing Kena: Bridge of Spirits?
It's very pretty! There are pikminish little guys! Seems like a pretty straightforward kind of game and I'm into it.
It's very pretty! There are pikminish little guys! Seems like a pretty straightforward kind of game and I'm into it.
February 13, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Not sure when I bought Kena: Bridge of Spirits but it was there in the library so now I guess I'm playing Kena: Bridge of Spirits?
It's very pretty! There are pikminish little guys! Seems like a pretty straightforward kind of game and I'm into it.
It's very pretty! There are pikminish little guys! Seems like a pretty straightforward kind of game and I'm into it.
The game scored a 10 on condescensioncritic dot com.
Mewgenics co-creator Edmund McMillen has defended the inclusion of cameos from people viewed by some as controversial, saying he "understands we live in a time where a meow from someone who has different beliefs as you is scary and frustrating, confusing and controversial." https://bit.ly/465d9Qn
February 13, 2026 at 4:21 PM
The game scored a 10 on condescensioncritic dot com.
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
Facebook plans to put facial recognition in its glasses and they think we’re too stupid to fight back.
Their internal memo: “We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns.”
Their internal memo: “We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns.”
Meta Plans to Add Facial Recognition Technology to Its Smart Glasses
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2026 at 12:16 PM
Facebook plans to put facial recognition in its glasses and they think we’re too stupid to fight back.
Their internal memo: “We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns.”
Their internal memo: “We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns.”
Gawtdaaaaam the monologue is amazing
February 13, 2026 at 4:14 AM
Gawtdaaaaam the monologue is amazing
And it's already gone completely off the rails. Love it.
February 13, 2026 at 4:03 AM
And it's already gone completely off the rails. Love it.
The real game awards show for everyone, especially those who have complained about The Game Awards not really being about game awards.
Less than 2 hours away from the 29th Annual #DICEAwards!
Watch along live: www.youtube.com/live/5zAPvhm...
Watch along live: www.youtube.com/live/5zAPvhm...
February 13, 2026 at 4:00 AM
The real game awards show for everyone, especially those who have complained about The Game Awards not really being about game awards.
Reposted by Mat Piscatella
TONIGHT is the night for the 29th Annual #DICEAwards!
We hope you'll join us and co-hosts @gameovergreggy.bsky.social and @parallaxstella.bsky.social as we honor some of the best games from 2025!
Streaming live at 8pm PT @ign.com
Watch with us here: www.youtube.com/live/5zAPvhm...
We hope you'll join us and co-hosts @gameovergreggy.bsky.social and @parallaxstella.bsky.social as we honor some of the best games from 2025!
Streaming live at 8pm PT @ign.com
Watch with us here: www.youtube.com/live/5zAPvhm...
February 12, 2026 at 4:16 PM
TONIGHT is the night for the 29th Annual #DICEAwards!
We hope you'll join us and co-hosts @gameovergreggy.bsky.social and @parallaxstella.bsky.social as we honor some of the best games from 2025!
Streaming live at 8pm PT @ign.com
Watch with us here: www.youtube.com/live/5zAPvhm...
We hope you'll join us and co-hosts @gameovergreggy.bsky.social and @parallaxstella.bsky.social as we honor some of the best games from 2025!
Streaming live at 8pm PT @ign.com
Watch with us here: www.youtube.com/live/5zAPvhm...
No Knack 3 is some hot garbage.
But I did have to make sure the calendar didn't say June because that was quite a state of play.
But I did have to make sure the calendar didn't say June because that was quite a state of play.
Knack 3 or riot
February 12, 2026 at 11:13 PM
No Knack 3 is some hot garbage.
But I did have to make sure the calendar didn't say June because that was quite a state of play.
But I did have to make sure the calendar didn't say June because that was quite a state of play.
Konami be like
a group of people are sitting in front of a table with flowers on it .
ALT: a group of people are sitting in front of a table with flowers on it .
media.tenor.com
February 12, 2026 at 10:52 PM
Konami be like
More Neva is a very good thing. And out Feb 19th?!?! Neat.
February 12, 2026 at 10:30 PM
More Neva is a very good thing. And out Feb 19th?!?! Neat.
Knack 3 or riot
February 12, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Knack 3 or riot