Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 9hNow, a decade later, esports is both more prominent and an entirely different animal. The category has come a long way from its initially outsized valuations. Both the pandemic and the irrational exuberance around key financial moments have taken the wind out of its sails. 000
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Even so, I expect this to sell out faster than you can say "franchise and merchandise synchronization." If nothing else, I'm as excited as ever to see if they can pull it off. 110
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Did I mention it costs roughly four times as much as Red Dead Redemption 2's collector's box? By comparison, Cyberpunk 2077's collector's edition included the game and more items for £100 less. 100
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 24/09/2026What you do get: a Macca the Gator figure with a stash compartment, GTA VI-branded Oakley sunglasses, a New Era snapback, a razor blade keychain, a shot glass, and a poster map of Leonida. 100
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 24/09/2026I'd be tempted to call it Rockstar's answer to the broader anxiety about the industry going discless, if it weren't for the fact that it excludes the game. 🤦🏻♂️ 100
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Introduced as a premium collectible set, the GTA VI merch is coming in hot. Inspired by the in-game TV show Macca the Gator, the set is available only through Rockstar's store and in limited supply. 110
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Rockstar's $399 collector's box is a marvel. In a way, it is the first tangible evidence yet of the scope of Take-Two's ambition and commercial expectations. 100
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Aside from the annual spike around the holiday season and the temporary jump in May after the April price cut, sign-ups for Xbox's Game Pass service have remained largely flat for a year. 100
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 14/09/2026It also leaves its most passionate fans feeling completely unheard. Physical media represents more than distribution. It makes entertainment tangible and consumption a ritual. 000
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Getting rid of physical discs makes perfect business sense for firms like Sony. It improves margins, reflects how consumers have been buying video game software for years, and removes several important friction points. 100
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Starting in November, Game Pass Ultimate buys you fifteen hours of cloud play a month, Premium gets ten, and Essential gets five. That last one works out to an average of ten minutes a day. And if you want more, Microsoft will now gladly sell it to you by the hour. 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 09/09/2026After decades as the dominant retailer in gaming, GameStop is now clearly exiting the market. Video game sales, as part of GameStop’s total revenue, have been declining for years. It tells you everything you need to know about the next generation of console gaming. Link in the comments. 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 08/09/2026The question that comes to mind is whether this will lead to another acquisition. Following the WB acquisition fiasco, it is clear that digital media platforms have plenty of gunpowder. Is it possible that Netflix buys Take-Two Interactive? 000
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Its recent exclusive premiere of GTA VI's Extended Play is likely the first of many examples to come as big publishers compete for attention. 100
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 08/09/2026After exhausting Clayton's classic approach to disruption by acquiring and hoping to develop casual entertainment, especially Netflix, has switched its approach to becoming a distributor instead. 100
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Big Tech players are shifting from buying and developing content themselves to becoming distribution hubs. 120
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Promoting the new is great, but what if people prefer to buy the old? In the first half of 2026, Steam generated $11.1 billion in revenue, up $1.41 billion from the previous year. Yet none of that growth came from new releases. 042
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 04/09/202631.1 million views within the first four days of GTA VI's Extended Look on Netflix. Wild. Source: www.netflix.com/tudum/top10 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Stoked to see that Substack has finally added a separate Games category. Now I can finally tell my mom that studying video games was all worth it. ❤️ 020
Reposted by Joost van DreunenAchim Fehrenbach @achimfehrenbach.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Gaming hardware prices are rising. What are the options for console manufacturers, developers, and retailers? Here's what experts say. #games #gaming #gamesindustry #hardware #AI #retail igmonline.de/story/igm-09... @superjoost.bsky.social @georgeosborn.bsky.social @bitkom.org @pcghde.bsky.socialigmonline.deWas die steigenden Hardware-Preise mit der Games-Branche machenDie Preise für Gaming-Hardware steigen unaufhörlich – vor allem bei Arbeitsspeicher, Grafikkarten und ganz allgemein Konsolen. Dass das mit dem KI-Boom zu tun hat, ist klar. Nur: Wie lange machen die ... 051
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Looks like this year's Gamescom was a hit with attendance up 3% from last year. 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 29/08/2026It's giving Nam June Paik. Seen at Gamescom. 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 28/08/2026GTA VI looks beautiful. Really enjoyed yesterday‘s preview. Felt like a cross-breed between GTA, Red Dead, and Max Payne. Can‘t wait. Will have some thoughts on it when I get back to Brooklyn. 000
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 22/08/2026Long tail or blockbusters? Digital entertainment offers unique affordances and constraints. To understand the shifting economics, gaming has an answer. superjoost.substack.com/p/revenge-of...superjoost.substack.comRevenge of Steam's mid-marketGamers are spending more on games than ever. They're just not new ones. 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 22/08/2026Thanks @jamesbatchelor.bsky.social I think thats a fair qualifier for especially the big GaaS titles. 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 05/08/2026The gospel is spread in a multitude of ways. 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 27/07/2026I just don’t think I have that many more emails left in me. 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 19/07/2026Madrid issues first statement after Spain beats Argentina in the 2026 World Cup. 021
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 30/06/2026shoutout to all my Dutchies staying up past their bedtime to watch the game 🇳🇱⚽️ 000
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 26/06/2026Full interview: www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/...bloomberg.comWatch Will Gamers Ignore GTA VI’s Hefty $80 Price Tag? - BloombergGrand Theft Auto VI’s $79.99 launch price marks a new high for mainstream video games and signals a potential shift in industry pricing power. This segment examines how Rockstar’s strategy could resha... 010
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 26/06/2026Some of us out here doing live interviews at midnight about the #GTA6 launch that’s happening literal months from now. ❤️🕹️ #eatplaylove 110
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 17/06/2026took him long enough but Messi finally beat my record of world cup goals scored. 020
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 11/06/2026south africa beat mexico 2-1 in red cards tho 000
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 04/06/2026also, this labeling,”the retired people,” makes me sad 100
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 23/05/2026shoutout to the electric company asking me if I want to pay my monthly bill 8 days early. appreciate you. 020
Reposted by Joost van DreunenThomas BIDAUX 👁️ 🔜 DICE Europe @icotom.icopartners.com · 05/02/2026I have put together the numbers for video games on Kickstarter last year and the blog post is going over them. Short summary as a thread medium.com/icopartners/...medium.comKickstarter & Video Games in 2025After a few years of hiatus, I am bringing back the review of the numbers for video games on Kickstarter. Last year, I did a talk at GDC… 1168
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 01/01/2026taking the rest of the year off. #startuplife #riseandgrind 120
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 15/12/2025Happy mandatory OS device update to all those who celebrate 000
Reposted by Joost van DreunenJoost Rietveld @gjrietveld.bsky.social · 20/11/2025What happens to ecosystem diversity and #platform match quality after a platform introduces paid #discovery tools (e.g., Apple's search result ads)? @kai-zzzzzz.bsky.social and co-authors share insights from #Goodreads introduction of paid book giveaways. platformpapers.substack.com/p/the-price-...platformpapers.substack.comThe Price of Platform ParticipationGoodreads’ introduction of paid giveaways reveals how charging for discovery affects ecosystem diversity and match quality. 032
Joost van Dreunen @superjoost.bsky.social · 14/11/2025thanks laine! next time i’ll save you a seat at the front ❤️ 130