Kiwi Talkz

#216 - Shawn Layden On Physical Discs, PS6 Handheld, Asha Sharma, Spreadsheets etc.

Kiwi Talkz

Show Notes

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

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