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Day Zero Podcast

Day Zero Podcast

By: Day Zero
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Day Zero is a podcast on video games featuring Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world's greatest entertainment industry.

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Episodes
  • No, GTA 6 Will Not Save the Games Industry

    No, GTA 6 Will Not Save the Games Industry
    Jun 30 2026
    By now the discourse surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) is roiling to say the least. From Rockstar demanding pre-orders without showing much in way of gameplay to a suspiciously pro-corporate slant from consumers justifying the company’s many failings (including crunch and potentially killing an entire retail industry) it’s been a wild week. However is there more to it than just wanton outrage? Yes there is.For all of the internet’s echo chamber-fuelled glory, there’s a very real chance that GTA 6 may not be the messiah the industry hopes it to be. Simply because rising prices thanks to Sam Altman, Microsoft, Hynix, Samsung, Micron, and general stupidity from the AI sector have knee-capped hardware prices yet again, with potential price hikes for new consoles on the horizon. For a game expected to move PS5s and Xbox Series consoles, it could not have launched in a worse season.Time stamps as follows.GTA 6 Pre-Order Details* 00:00:03: Introduction* 00:00:21: Confirmation of the GTA 6 release date as November 19th.* 00:00:31: Rockstar begins digital pre-orders and reveals edition details.* 00:00:41: Standard Edition ($80) and Ultimate Edition ($100) pricing revealed.* 00:00:51: Standard Edition includes one month of GTA Plus and a Vice City pre-order bonus.* 00:01:05: Ultimate Edition details: Includes extra outfits, areas, and vehicles.* 00:01:17: Digital-only announcement: The physical version will only contain a game code in the box, not a disc.* 00:01:40: Discussion on the lack of a new gameplay video vs. existing in-engine trailers and screenshots.GTA 6 Market Performance and Community Reaction* 00:02:10: GTA 6 reaches number one on the PlayStation Store pre-order charts.* 00:02:24: IGN reports an 8:1 pre-order ratio of PlayStation to Xbox based on affiliate links.* 00:02:37: Comparison of PlayStation vs. Xbox market share in India.* 00:03:22: Discussion of rumors regarding a potential disc version arriving one month after launch.* 00:03:54: Precedent for delayed physical releases, citing Red Dead Redemption on current-gen consoles.* 00:04:09: Historical context of Rockstar’s pricing adjustments in India.* 00:04:36: Critique of reporting from IGN and Hollywood Reporter regarding disc release rumors.Rockstar Games’ Industry Impact and Ethics* 00:05:04: Rockstar’s historical opposition to the used game market.* 00:05:34: Story of Rockstar shutting down a pre-owned game trade-in initiative in India.* 00:06:36: Discussion on consumer ownership legislation and the “Stop Killing Games” initiative in the EU.* 00:07:44: Retailer frustration over the lack of a physical disc.* 00:08:21: Speculation that the game is barely meeting its release date and may lack polish at launch.* 00:09:50: Prediction that a physical copy may appear a few months later once the game is fully complete.* 00:11:45: Discussion on “manufactured consent” and social media discourse regarding pricing.Console Hardware and Pricing Concerns* 00:12:44: Impact of GTA 6 on console hardware sales and marketing deals.* 00:13:17: Rising component and memory prices affecting console hardware costs.* 00:13:53: PS5 R&D costs and the lack of price drops compared to previous generations.* 00:14:58: Critique of Ultimate Edition “gated” content, such as specific locations and missions.* 00:16:18: India-specific pricing: Standard Edition at ₹5,999 and Ultimate Edition at ₹7,499.* 00:17:04: The cultural loss of midnight launches due to the shift to digital.* 00:18:44: Estimated revenue loss from physical sales in emerging markets ($150M–$200M).* 00:20:19: Comparison of hardware costs to monthly salaries in India.* 00:21:43: The importance of content creators to GTA’s longevity.* 00:23:36: The barrier for mobile gamers (BGMI, Free Fire) moving to console hardware.* 00:24:29: Financial advice: Do not use EMI or “Buy Now Pay Later” for games/hardware.What After GTA 6?* 00:25:53: Discussion on the rising costs of game development in the US.* 00:27:03: Rockstar’s use of Indian developers (1,000+ devs).* 00:27:46: Speculation on a separate marketing beat for GTA Online and a future PC launch.* 00:29:38: Next-gen console (PS6/Next Xbox) R&D and the risk of delaying launches.* 00:30:23: Critique of the Steam Machine’s performance and marketing material changes.* 00:31:23: Rockstar makes the GTA 5 Next-Gen upgrade free for those pre-ordering GTA 6.* 00:35:54: Critique of the “Live Service” model using Concord and Destiny as examples.* 00:38:41: Consumer advice: Buying hardware at MRP and the long-term savings of physical media.What We’re Playing* 00:40:41: Rahul talks about Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight.* 00:41:43: Details on Lego Batman’s story amalgamation and Arkham-style gameplay.* 00:43:51: Performance of Lego Batman on PC (RTX 5070) versus Steam Deck.* 00:46:27: Rishi talks about his time with Alan Wake 2 and experimenting with Amiibos in Breath of the Wild.What to Wishlist and Outro* 00:47:48: ...
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    50 mins
  • Steam Update: How Indie Devs Survive the New Algorithm & Wishlist Velocity

    Steam Update: How Indie Devs Survive the New Algorithm & Wishlist Velocity
    Jun 23 2026
    While Summer Game Fest brought with it a stellar line up of games reminiscent of the best days of E3, Valve dropped what’s likely the most consequential update for game developers in recent memory. After being in beta for a few months, the Company that Can’t Count to Three revealed a Steam store refresh that changes how industry conducts business on the biggest storefront for PC games.For this special episode of Day Zero, we have Lokesh Joshi, marketing lead at Tathvamasi Studios, the developers behind Suri: The Seventh Note, an upcoming PlayStation India Hero Project game for PS5 and PC. Disclosure: Day Zero podcast host Rishi Alwani has consulted with the studio in the past.From the personal calendar coming in clutch closer to release date for some publishers (such as Loopr Partners who were generous enough to let us talk about Zombutcher as a current case study) to harnessing wishlist velocity and timing the right release date, we got you covered. Time stamps as follows.Introduction and Guest Welcome* 00:00:03: Host Rishi Alwani introduces the episode and guests: Rahul and Lokesh Joshi (marketing lead of Tathvamasi Studios).* 00:00:52: Introduction to the main topic: Big changes and updates to Steam.The Steam Client Refresh (June 5th Update)* 00:01:32: Overview of the June 5th update, including UI changes and backend management for developers.* 00:01:54: Details on the new homepage, featured section, and general usability improvements.* 00:01:59: Introduction of the personal calendar feature for players to track release dates and wishlist games directly.* 00:03:07: Changes to the “Popular Upcoming” algorithm, requiring higher wishlist counts to appear on the list.Impact on Wishlists and Discovery* 00:04:12: How the personal calendar affects niche genres by recommending games based on user taste.* 00:04:30: Speculation on whether wishlists are still the primary metric for success.* 00:05:21: Discussion on how the calendar might help developers acquire “meaningful wishlists” with higher conversion rates.* 00:07:12: The concept of “Wishlist Velocity”—the importance of recent wishlists over older ones.* 00:08:05: Setting context on the “previous meta” where wishlists were the sole driver of visibility and funding.* 00:10:53: Identifying the bottleneck for developers: the requirement of a hard release date to appear on the personal calendar.Platforms and Visibility Case Studies* 00:14:25: Case study of the game Zombutcher and how the Steam update affected its launch visibility.* 00:15:58: The role of Steam Next Fest as a source of free visibility for indie developers.* 00:18:04: Comparison of developer support between Steam and PlayStation, highlighting Sony’s YouTube slots and blog posts.* 00:23:24: Discussion on Steam’s algorithmic nature compared to PlayStation’s storefront.Marketing Strategies for Indie Developers* 00:24:18: The importance of community building and organic content.* 00:24:32: Leveraging Instagram Reels for wide reach and using Reddit for organic feedback.* 00:27:53: Utilising Twitter for the indie community, specifically “Screenshot Saturday”.* 00:29:18: Advice on paid advertising: Don’t do it until you have a playable demo.* 00:31:46: Examples of “gold standard” social media accounts, including No Man’s Sky and Among Us.* 00:32:50: Using Steamworks data to track impressions, conversion rates, and “wishlist deletions”.* 00:35:14: Tips for standing out during Next Fest, including working with content creators and using the Tagging Wizard.* 00:40:40: A reminder that product quality and QA are more important than marketing efforts.What We’re Playing This Week* 00:41:08: Lokesh discusses playing Space Marine 2.* 00:41:44: Rahul discusses the demo for 1666 Amsterdam and the backstory of creator Patrice Desilets and Ubisoft.* 00:44:16: Rahul discusses Echoes of Aincrad (a Sword Art Online title).* 00:46:15: Rahul discusses Valor Mortis, a first-person French “souls-like” set in the Napoleonic era.* 00:49:16: Rishi discusses playing Dishonored 2 and his frustrations with the pacing of Alan Wake 2.Closing and Recommendations* 00:50:31: Final recommendations for games to wishlist: Suri: The Seventh Note, Zombutcher, and Arms Dealer.* 00:51:25: Outro and where to find the hosts and guests on social media.Welcome to Day Zero. This is a podcast about video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below:* Linkedin - Lokesh Joshi* Instagram - @Lokesh Joshi* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com
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    52 mins
  • The Xbox Reset: Analysing Asha Sharma and Satya Nadella’s Strategic Turnaround

    The Xbox Reset: Analysing Asha Sharma and Satya Nadella’s Strategic Turnaround
    Jun 17 2026
    At this point we might as well call this the Xbox Podcast rather than Day Zero what with the sheer number of times we’ve had to discuss the platform’s ups and downs on the podcast. After a successful Summer Game Fest showcase, it appears that Microsoft realises that a paltry three percent margin isn’t enough to run the Xbox business and cuts are afoot. To the point where not only did Xbox CEO Asha Sharma surface the business margins publicly, but Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called out that Xbox makes more money from YouTube than games. Yikes.In this episode we discuss what to expect from the House of Halo. As well as highlight one of the cooler indie games out of India, Malhaar. It’s a slice-of-life RPG that warrants a wishlist or 20.Time stamps as follows. Xbox Leadership and Initial Reset (February – May 2026)* 00:01:04: Introduction to Asha Sharma’s timeline starting from her joining as Xbox CEO in February 2026.* 00:01:18: Asha Sharma’s first internal memo prioritising human art over “AI slop”.* 00:01:33: Leadership overhaul, including Matt Booty’s promotion to Chief Content Officer.* 00:01:43: Strategic realignment with the hiring of Matt Ball as Chief Strategy Officer.* 00:01:49: Shift in success metrics from Game Pass subscriber counts to Daily Active Users (DAU).* 00:02:03: Rebrand of “Microsoft Gaming” to “XBOX” in all caps.* 00:02:18: Internal discussions regarding the return of console exclusivity.Major Announcements and Fiscal Transparency (June 2026)* 00:02:34: Asha Sharma’s major Bloomberg interview discussing an internal reset and reaching players across all platforms.* 00:02:48: Global price decrease for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.* 00:02:53: Leaks regarding the next-gen hardware codename, Project Helix.* 00:03:05: Xbox Fan Fest highlights, including the translucent green Xbox and announcements for Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution.* 00:04:04: Detailed breakdown of Asha Sharma’s memo regarding a three percent accountability margin and a half-billion-dollar revenue decline over five years.* 00:05:20: Critique of the “toxic positivity” of previous management (Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond) compared to Sharma’s transparency.* 00:06:11: Analysis of the unsustainability of the Game Pass model and the difficulties of keeping publishers happy in a subscription service.Strategic Challenges and Future Revenue Models* 00:09:40: Matt Ball’s comments to The Game Business regarding the challenges facing the company.* 00:10:27: Discussion on the failed “This is an Xbox” campaign and the lack of a clear reason to buy a $500–$650 console.* 00:12:10: Exploration of potential revenue streams, including ad-supported tiers similar to Netflix and Prime Video.* 00:14:07: Identification of the target audience for these executive statements: investors and VCs rather than gamers.* 00:16:10: The expansion of the Xbox Game Studio Store and physical merchandise (e.g. Halo: Campaign Evolved and Fable Collector’s Editions),.Satya Nadella’s “Hard Fork” Interview and Structural Changes* 00:18:27: Detailed look at Satya Nadella’s interview with the Hard Fork podcast.* 00:19:02: Nadella’s “nuke”: Asserting that Xbox must become a sustainable business after 25 years of investment.* 00:19:34: Nadella’s admission that Microsoft has been subsidising entertainment, noting that monetisation is happening more on YouTube than on Microsoft platforms,.* 00:21:00: Rumours from The Information regarding spinning off the Halo franchise to external studios.* 00:21:32: Criticism of Microsoft’s failure to capitalise on the success of the Fallout and Halo TV shows with timely game releases.* 00:24:52: Concerns over the loss of institutional knowledge following the closures of studios like Arkane Austin.Hardware Future and Developer Impact* 00:25:46: Disclosure of A-B testing showing that pushing individual games sometimes performs better than pushing Game Pass.* 00:27:42: Potential risks to the Developer Acceleration Program (XDAP) and funding for developers in regions like India and Southeast Asia,.* 00:29:03: Discussion on rising component prices (up to 5x–7x).* 00:29:56: Estimated timeline for Project Helix hardware (late 2027 or early 2028).* 00:30:18: The possibility of Xbox moving to a reference design model, allowing third-party OEMs (like ASUS or HP) to build Xbox consoles.* 00:32:02: Rumours of over 1,000 layoffs planned for July 2026, specifically targeting marketing and regional teams.* 00:33:30: Mention of the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X20 announcement.* 00:34:55: Final thoughts on Xbox entering its “Dreamcast era”.* 00:35:21: Wishlist callout for Indian indie game, Malhaar and wrap-up.Welcome to the Day Zero Podcast. Every week we break down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry.Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below:* Twitter/X - @rishialwani* ...
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    36 mins
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