Episode Details

The legendary Shawn Layden returns to provide wisdom on things surrounding the video game industry. As was the case last time, I tried to ask him a lot of stuff he hasn't been asked before. Enjoy!!

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro/Shawn Layden Made Kiwi Smarter

01:49 - Differences Between Working At Sony’s Offices In Japan,UK & US

05:45 - How The Japanese Felt When Sony HQ Moved From Tokyo To California

07:00 - Salaries In The US Are Hurting Game Development There/Outsourcing

10:20 - Nothing Will Beat GTA/Strauss Zelnick

11:45 - Shawn’s Role As A Chairman

13:30 - Shawn Knowing His Limitations As A Boss

15:01 - Games Aren’t Built By Gamers Anymore

15:45 - Publishers Are Becoming Risk Averse/Chasing AAA

18:00 - Why AAA Games Are Financed Over AA

19:15 - Institutional Knowledge/The Power Of Brand

23:00 - Sony Getting Rid Of Physical Discs

24:05 - Sony Can Take Japan Back From Nintendo

25:13 - Sony Can’t Support Two Consoles At Once

27:00 - Nintendo & Sony Are Becoming Direct Competitors Again

28:30 - Sony Putting Games On PC

31:30 - Shawn’s Views On Meetings

32:00 - Unproductive Meetings

36:00 - Employees Whose Jobs Are To Arrange Meetings

37:30 - Shawn Kills Rumor That He Spoke To Asha

38:50 - Shawn Speaks On Asha/Microsoft’s Goals

40:30 - Live Services Titles Successes Are By Accident

43:20 - Data Driving Decisions

44:50 - Spreadsheet Decision Shawn Made/Edutainment

48:10 - Success Is Seductive/Hire The Right Talent

49:30 - Avoiding YES MEN When You Are The Boss

52:00 - Shawn Is Happy He Never Has To Do A Budget/Plan & Peformance Appraisal Again

53:25 - Q+A - Was A Cell Based GPU Considered For PS3

54:16 - Q+A - How Do We Correct The Over Reliance On AAA

57:15 - Astro Bot/Sony Needs To Do More AA Games

1:01:15 - Why GTA 6 Is An Event/Diluting A Brand

1:02:20 - Q+A - Will The Japanese End Up Pulling Ahead Of Everyone Else

1:04:15 - GTA 6/Games Need To Be Shorter

1:05:30 - Girls Make Games Scholarship Fund